Molecular analysis for bacterial contamination in dental unit water lines

• Published in: The New microbiologica Vol. 39; no. 2; pp. 143 - 145
• Main Authors: Watanabe, Akari, Tamaki, Naofumi, Matsuyama, Miwa, Kokeguchi, Susumu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 01.04.2016
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bacterial Load; Bacteriological Techniques; Dental Equipment - microbiology; Dentistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Bacterial - isolation & purification; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Equipment Contamination; Humans; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; RNA, Bacterial - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Water Microbiology; Water Supply - standards; PCR-DGGE; Bacterial contamination; Molecular analysis; Dental unit water line
• ISSN: 1121-7138

Bacterial contamination in dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) was evaluated by molecular techniques in addition to the conventional culture method. Water samples (n=8) from DUWLs were investigated for heterotrophic bacteria by culture method using R2A agar. The selected bacterial antibiotic-resistance genes and Legionella species-specific 16SrDNA were identified by PCR. The profiles of bacterial contamination in DUWLs were further identified by PCR-DGGE. In this study, no antibiotic-resistant or Legionella genes were detected. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium, Novosphingobium sp. was the most prevalent in DUWLs. Conventional PCR and PCR-DGGE were shown to be potentially useful for monitoring of bacterial contamination in DUWLs.