Experimental Caries Induced in Animals by Streptococci of Human Origin.

Abstract

Summary Streptococci were isolated from human dental carious lesions which reacted with fluorescein-tagged antisera against rat or hamster “cariogenic” streptococci. The human strains fell into 3 different categories, in fluorescence, morphology, microprecipitin and gel diffusion studies. One category, similar to the hamster strain, produced caries when used to infect hamsters. This occurred in 55 animals of 55 tested, and in no controls. The other 2 categories of human isolates failed to produce hamster caries; one of these is being studied for possible cariogenicity in germfree rats.