Detection of Eikenella corrodens and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans by use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in vitro and in subgingival plaque.

The purpose of the present investigation was to identify 2 putative periodontal pathogens: Eikenella corrodens and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in vitro and in subgingival plaque. On the basis of published sequences coding for 16S rRNA two primer pairs were designed which amplify a 410 bp sequence from E. corrodens DNA and a 547 bp fragment from A. actinomycetemcomitans DNA, respectively. As few as 50 cells could be detected from pure bacterial cultures. Each of the two primer pairs was found to be specific in that it did not give any amplification product neither with cell lysates from the respective alternative bacterium nor with lysates obtained from other putative periodontal pathogens and other bacteria. The PCR method developed turned out to be a simple, rapid and reliable diagnostic tool for the detection of the target microorganisms in clinical samples.