Efficacy of some antibiotics against Streptococcus mutans associated with periodontitis in patients | ||||
| Microbes and Infectious Diseases | ||||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 23 June 2025 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/mid.2025.383301.2790 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
zahraa Jassim mohammed  ; Jinan Mohammad Hussein
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| Department of Biology, College of Education for Women, University of Kufa, Iraq | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the tissues supporting the teeth, including the gums, periodontal ligament, alveolar bone, and cementum. It is primarily caused by poor oral hygiene, leading to the accumulation of plaque and bacteria on the teeth. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Streptococcus mutans in patients with periodontitis and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of isolated strains. Methods: Fifty samples were collected from periodontitis patients (aged 25–65 years, both sexes) at specialized dental clinics in Najaf, Iraq, between March 1, 2025, and April 1, 2025. Samples were cultured on Mitis salivarius bacitracin agar (MSBA) for initial morphological and microscopic characterization. Infection rates varied by gender, with males showing a higher infection rate (56%) compared to females (44%), and the 45-65 age group demonstrating the highest susceptibility (60%). Streptococcus mutans was identified in 10 (20%) of 50 patient samples using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Results: All identified Streptococcus mutans isolates were tested for resistance to 17 antibiotics using the Vitek 2 system. Results showed high resistance rates: trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (100%), tetracycline (90%), clindamycin, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, and vancomycin (80%), Rifampicin, teicoplanin, ceftriaxone, gentamicin, benzylpenicillin, and levofloxacin (70%), ampicillin and linezolid (60%), erythromycin (40%), and tigecycline (20%). Notably, no resistance was observed. to moxifloxacin (0%). Conclusion: The presence of Streptococcus mutans in patients with periodontitis underscores the critical role of oral hygiene in disease progression and suggests its opportunistic involvement. The observed high rates of antimicrobial resistance highlight the consequences of indiscriminate antibiotic use, emphasizing the need for judicious prescription practices to mitigate the emergence of drug-resistant strains in oral infections. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Streptococcus mutans; sensitive; Erythromycin; and antibiotics | ||||
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