The maintenance in the oral cavity of children of tetracycline-resistant bacteria and the genes encoding such resistance

Abstract

The results of this study show that tetracycline-resistant bacteria and tet(M) are maintained within the indigenous oral microbiota of children, even though they are unlikely to have been directly exposed to tetracycline.

Distribution of Genes Related to Antimicrobial Resistance in Different Oral Environments: A Systematic Review

“…The presence of resistance genes in saliva samples was determined only from healthy subjects (38,41). The only study that tested resistance genes in supragingival biofilm was conducted in children (39). Endodontic samples were collected from root canals (symptomatic and asymptomatic cases) and apical swelling.…”

“…The most tested genes were tetM for tetracycline resistance (saliva = 1 study [41], supragingival biofilm = 1 [39], endodontic infections = 4 studies [42][43][44][45]) followed by the genes tetQ/tetW (saliva = 1 study [41], supragingival biofilm = 1 [39], endodontic infections = 3 studies [42,43,45]). The frequency for the detection of the tetM gene ranged from 5%-100% (5%-60% in 4 root canal samples, 77.7% in the supragingival biofilms, and 100% in 1 saliva sample study).…”

“…Few data are available on the presence of resistance genes in the selected oral sites. Only 1 study reported the presence of tetracycline genes in bacteria isolated from supragingival biofilm in children (39). Of the 6 selected articles that evaluated the presence of resistance genes in endodontic infections, 2 examined directly pooled samples of acute endodontic infections (42,45), and 4 tested bacterial strains isolates from those infections (40,43,44,46).…”

“…Both healthy and diseased patients with endodontic infections were included in the samples, and saliva samples were collected. Supragingival biofilm samples were collected from healthy children (39). However, details on their recruitment, sex, and clinical conditions were not described.…”

Impact of Dental Plaque Biofilms in Periodontal Disease: Management and Future Therapy

“…They have been demonstrated that tet(M) represented the most common gene, which encodes a ribosomal protection protein, carried on Tn916/Tn1545-like conjugative transposons in Streptococcus sp., Granulicatella sp., Veillonella sp. and Neisseria sp., from the oral cavity [120].…”