Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development
Year : 2019, Volume : 10, Issue : 5
First page : ( 1330) Last page : ( 1336)
Print ISSN : 0976-0245. Online ISSN : 0976-5506.
Article DOI : 10.5958/0976-5506.2019.01181.1

Quantification of Streptococcus mutans Associated with Dental Caries in Iraqi Children by Real-Time PCR

Al-Miyah Suaad Abid Fazaa*

Medical Mathematics Department, College of Computer Science and Information Technology, Al-Qadisiyah University, Iraq

*Corresponding author: Suaad Abid Fazaa Al-Miyah, E-mail: saudbiology81@gmail.com

Online published on 4 June, 2019.

Abstract

Streptococcus mutans is a common pathogen causing dental caries in human. A specific and rapid method to detect streptococcal species in human saliva simultaneously was quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). This study aims to quantitative detection of Streptococcus mutans in dental plaque by real-time PCR and to compare their presence with the propagation of dental caries in Iraqi children. Dental plaque samples were collected from 120 children aged 3–10 years old, the children were divided into three groups (caries-free, ECC, severe ECC) according to the mouth and teeth's health status: caries-free group (CF) (n=40), early childhood caries group (ECC) (n=40) and severe-early childhood caries group (S-ECC) (n=40). The quantitative real time PCR of S. mutans was performed by two specific primers gtfB and UNI targeted to glucosyltransferase gene and 16S rRNA gene that revealed 91.6% (110/120) of total samples were positive of S. mutans. The amplification assay by primers gtfB and UNI were more sensitive for detection of S. mutans quantities of oral samples in three dental caries statuses. There was a significant difference between the levels of S. mutans in the dental plaque samples of the three groups (P < 0.05), the quantitative levels of S. mutans were significantly higher in S-ECC children compared to CF and ECC groups. The quantities of S. mutans were closely associated with the prevalence of dental caries in the children with S-ECC.

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Keywords

Dental caries, Streptococcus mutans, Real-time PCR.

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