Microbiome of Odontogenic Abscesses.

Area of Science:

• Oral microbiology
• Infectious diseases
• Molecular diagnostics

Background:

• Odontogenic abscesses are often caused by oral bacteria, but traditional culture methods are unreliable.
• Previous studies reported inconsistent bacterial findings in abscesses.
• Accurate identification of causative agents is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the oral microbiome in saliva and pus of patients with severe odontogenic infections using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
• To compare the microbial profiles of saliva and abscess pus.
• To determine the predominant bacterial types involved in severe odontogenic abscesses.

Main Methods:

• 16S rRNA gene next-generation sequencing analysis.
• Microbiome analysis of saliva and pus samples from 50 patients with severe odontogenic abscesses.
• Identification and quantification of bacterial genera.

Main Results:

• Polymicrobial infections were present in 96% of cases.
• An average of 31.44 bacterial genera were detected in pus and 41.32 in saliva.
• A predominantly anaerobic bacterial spectrum was found in pus, while saliva resembled healthy individuals' microbiome.

Conclusions:

• Severe odontogenic infections are predominantly polymicrobial, driven mainly by anaerobic bacteria.
• 16S rRNA gene sequencing offers a more comprehensive detection of bacteria compared to conventional methods.
• Molecular methods should be integrated into routine medical microbiology diagnostics.