Nutritional analysis and an enriched medium for fermentative treponemes isolated from subgingival plaque

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Oral Health
• Bacteriology

Background:

• Fermentative treponemes are found in subgingival plaque.
• Cultivating these oral bacteria is crucial for understanding their role in oral health.
• Existing culture methods may be insufficient for certain strains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an enriched culture medium for fermentative treponemes from subgingival plaque.
• To analyze the nutritional requirements of oral treponemes, specifically their need for volatile fatty acids.
• To investigate the effect of sera on the growth of these bacteria.

Main Methods:

• Development of enriched Medium 10 using Trypticase peptone, yeast extract, glucose, and volatile fatty acids.
• Growth curve analysis of clinical isolates of Treponema socranskii in the enriched medium.
• Nutritional analysis by examining the requirement for specific volatile fatty acids and the impact of various sera.

Main Results:

• Enriched Medium 10 supported the cultivation of fermentative treponemes.
• Treponema socranskii reached the early stationary phase in 3-5 days with an average doubling time of 22.2 hours.
• Clinical isolates required iso-butyric acid, 2-methylbutyric acids, and/or iso-caproic acid for growth, but sera inhibited growth.

Conclusions:

• Enriched Medium 10 is effective for cultivating oral treponemes.
• Specific volatile fatty acids are essential nutrients for the growth of Treponema socranskii.
• The presence of sera negatively impacts the growth of these fermentative oral treponemes.