MITSUOKELLA DENTALIS IN HUMAN PERIODONTITIS

The occurrence of Mitsuokella dentalis in periodontitis was determined by culture and DNA probe detection. Subgingival paper-point samples f rom 480 periodontitis patients were transported in VMGA III, plated on to brucella agar with 5% sheep blood and incubated anaerobically for 7 days. Presumptive identification was based on a colony morphology res embling a water drop and biochemical characteristics. DNA probe detect ion was performed on paper-point samples using a digoxigenin-labeled c ellular M. dentalis DNA probe in a dot-blot assay. Culture and DNA pro be identified M. dentalis in 18.1% and in 80.7% of the study patients, respectively. M. dentalis isolates produced phosphatases, galactosida se, glucosidase and acetylglucosaminidase and showed high in vitro sen sitivity to metronidazole. This study revealed that M. dentalis is a c onstituent of the pathogenic microbiota in human periodontitis. The pe riodontopathic potential of the organism is unknown.