Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy for the identification of Actinomyces sp. in endodontic disease

Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy was used to determine the presence of select Actinomyces sp. in a clinical survey of teeth with endodontic disease. Thirty canal samples were tested for the presence of Actinomyces sp.: A. israelii, A. odontolyticus, A. viscosus serotype I, and A. viscosus serotype II. Actinomyces sp. were identified in 18 (60%) samples. A. israelii was most frequently identified with immunofluorescence in 16 (53%) cases examined and was the test organism most often associated with endodontic disease within the restrictions of this study. Positive and negative controls were appropriate to support findings. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy can be used for the clinical identification of Actinomyces sp. in endodontic disease without the necessity of performing a parallel culture study.