ASSOCIATIONS OF ENDODONTIC SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS WITH PARTICULAR COMBINATIONS OF SPECIFIC BACTERIA

Significant associations have been reported between (a) specific bacte rial species isolated from root canals and (b) between individual bact erial species and endodontic symptoms and signs, The prime objective o f this study was to determine whether particular combinations of speci fic bacteria are associated with individual endodontic symptoms and si gns, Seventy root canals were investigated microbiologically taking ca re to maintain the viability of obligate anaerobes, which accounted fo r 64% of the total species isolated, including Peptostreptococcus micr os, Prevotella melaninogenica, Prevotella oralis, Eubacterium aerofaci ens, Eubacterium lentum, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella buccae an d Prevotella intermedia. Significant associations were found between i ndividual clinical features and the following pairs of species: (a) pa in (37 cases) and Peptostreptococcus spp,/Prevotella spp,, Peptostrept ococcus spp./Prevotella melaninogenica, Pstr. micros/Prev, melaninogen ica (all P<0.01); (b) swelling (23 cases) and Pstr, micros/Prevotella spp, (P< 0.01); (c) 'Wet' canal (57 cases) and Prevotella spp./Eubacte rium spp, (P< 0.01), Peptostreptococcus spp,/Eubacterium spp, (P<0.05) , Thus data from this investigation suggests that statistically signif icant associations exist between individual endodontic symptoms and si gns and particular combinatons of specific bacteria.