Treponema denticola in Disseminating Endodontic Infections

Authors

F. Foschi, The Forsyth Institute & University of Bologna
Jacques Izard, The Forsyth InstituteFollow
H. Sasaki, The Forsyth Institute
V. Sambri, University of Bologna
C. Prati, University of Bologna
R. Müller, University of Zürich
P. Stashenko, The Forsyth InstituteFollow

Date of this Version

2-22-2006

Citation

J Dent Res. 2006 August ; 85(8): 761–765

Comments

Author manuscript; available in PMC 2013 February 22.

Abstract

Treponema denticola is a consensus periodontal pathogen that has recently been associated with endodontic pathology. In this study, the effect of mono-infection of the dental pulp with T. denticola and with polymicrobial “red-complex” organisms (RC) (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and T. denticola) in inducing disseminating infections in wild-type (WT) and severe-combined-immunodeficiency (SCID) mice was analyzed. After 21 days, a high incidence (5/10) of orofacial abscesses was observed in SCID mice mono-infected with T. denticola, whereas abscesses were rare in SCID mice infected with the red-complex organisms or in wildtype mice. Splenomegaly was present in all groups, but only mono-infected SCID mice had weight loss. T. denticola DNA was detected in the spleen, heart, and brain of mono-infected SCID mice and in the spleen from mono-infected wild-type mice, which also had more periapical bone resorption. The results indicate that T. denticola has high pathogenicity, including dissemination to distant organs, further substantiating its potential importance in oral and linked systemic conditions.