The apical root canal system microbial communities determined by next-generation sequencing.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Endodontics
• Genomics

Background:

• The polymicrobial etiology of endodontic infections is established, but the apical portion's microbiome remains underexplored.
• Understanding the root canal microbiome is crucial for diagnosing and treating endodontic infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the microbial communities in the apical portion of root canal infections.
• To identify the core microbiome associated with root canal infections and clinical symptoms.

Main Methods:

• 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing of samples from the apical third of infected root canals.
• Bioinformatic analysis using QIIME and HOMINGS to determine microbial composition.
• Statistical analysis (t-tests, ANOVA) to correlate microbial findings with clinical symptoms.

Main Results:

• Over 1 million high-quality sequences revealed dominant phyla Bacteroidetes (51.2%) and Firmicutes (27.1%).
• Prevotella (17.9%) and Bacteroidaceae G-1 (14.3%) were the most abundant genera.
• Symptomatic teeth showed increased levels of Porphyromonas and Prevotella.

Conclusions:

• Root canal infections exhibit a complex microbiome with identifiable core members.
• Specific taxa, including Porphyromonas and Prevotella, are associated with symptomatic endodontic infections.
• Further research into the virulence of identified taxa is warranted.