Mitsuokella dentalis in human periodontitis.

The occurrence of Mitsuokella dentalis in periodontitis was determined by culture and DNA probe detection. Subgingival paper-point samples from 480 periodontitis patients were transported in VMGA III, plated onto brucella agar with 5% sheep blood and incubated anaerobically for 7 days. Presumptive identification was based on a colony morphology resembling a water drop and biochemical characteristics. DNA probe detection was performed on paper-point samples using a digoxigenin-labeled cellular M. dentalis DNA probe in a dot-blot assay. Culture and DNA probe identified M. dentalis in 18.1% and in 80.7% of the study patients, respectively. M. dentalis isolates produced phosphatases, galactosidase, glucosidase and acetylglucosaminidase and showed high in vitro sensitivity to metronidazole. This study revealed that M. dentalis is a constituent of the pathogenic microbiota in human periodontitis. The periodontopathic potential of the organism is unknown.