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Epidemiological Survey of Streptococcus mutans among Japanese Children
Author(s) -
Hamada Shigeyuki,
Masuda Norio,
Ooshima Takashi,
Sobue Shizuo,
Kotani Shozo
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
japanese journal of microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0021-5139
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1976.tb00905.x
Subject(s) - serotype , streptococcus mutans , microbiology and biotechnology , epidemiology , ouchterlony double immunodiffusion , fluorescein isothiocyanate , biology , antibody , virology , medicine , bacteria , fluorescence , immunology , antiserum , pathology , physics , quantum mechanics , genetics
An epidemiological investigation was carried out to identify and determine the serotypes of Streptococcus mutans from carious lesions of young Japanese children. For this purpose, a direct fluorescent antibody technique was mainly used. Fluorescein isothiocyanate‐conjugated antibodies were prepared for the five known serotypes of S. mutans . Cross reactions and nonspecific reactions were eliminated by adsorption, counterstaining, or DEAE‐cellulose column chromatography. Agar‐gel immunodiffusion was used to distinguish between serotypes a and d . The epidemiological survey suggested that serotype c strains were most prevalent in dental plaques of Japanese children. The d and e serotypes were rare and serotypes a and b were not detected. It was also noted that more than one serotype of S. mutans could be found in the same locus of a carious lesion and that there might be no relationship between the degree of caries and the causative serotype(s) of S. mutans .