Objectives: Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory process accompanied by bone destruction that is caused by bacterial infection, with most child cases showing a haematogenous origin and metaphysis of the long bones. The aim of the present study was to characterize streptococcal strains isolated from the blood of a child diagnosed with osteomyelitis in a long bone and investigate the biological properties related to virulence of strains associated with osteomyelitis.
Methods: Blood isolate species were determined based on the 16S rRNA sequence. Next, the blood isolates were analysed for phagocytosis susceptibility by polymorphonuclear leukocytes, platelet aggregation, inhibitory effects on osteoblastic cells, and their properties of adhesion with cells, and compared to the reference strain Streptococcus mitis ATCC49456.
Results: The blood isolates were found to be a single clone (named SA1101), which was determined to be S. mitis. The phagocytosis susceptibility of SA1101 was significantly lower than that of ATCC49456, while its platelet aggregation rate was higher. Furthermore, SA1101 showed an inhibitory effect toward the growth of osteoblastic cells and had greater properties of adhesion to those cells as compared to ATCC49456.
Conclusions: These results suggest that S. mitis SA1101 is a possible etiological agent and caused osteomyelitis in the present case.
© 2010 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © 2010 BSPD, IAPD and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.