Preliminary study of the anaerobic bacteria isolated from subgingival plaque from sheep

A preliminary study was made to determine the genera of cultivable anaerobic bacteria which could be isolated from subgingival plaque of sheep. Samples were taken from 10 sheep on farms with a known record of broken mouth periodontitis. For assessment of the sampling technique, samples were also taken from freshly exposed tooth roots in killed sheep. The bacteria isolated on several selective and non-selective media were identified to genus level by a combination of Gram reaction, colony morphology and gas chromatographic analysis of volatile and non-volatile fatty acid metabolic end products. At least 10 different genera were isolated and these findings are discussed in relation to the bacteriology of human periodontitis and recent studies of sheep broken mouth periodontitis.