erpesviruses in Abscesses and Cellulitis of ndodontic Origin

i i r ( s i p c E g bstract cute apical abscesses and cellulitis are severe enddontic diseases caused by opportunistic bacteria with ossible coinfection with latent herpesviruses. The obectives of this study are to identify herpesviruses, ncluding human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), Epstein-Barr irus (EBV), herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), and Variella zoster virus (VZV) in patients (n 31) presenting ith acute apical abscesses and cellulitis of endodontic rigin. Primary and nested polymerase chain reaction PCR) was conducted using virus-specific primers and NA isolated from cell-free abscess fluid. From patients xhibiting concurrent spontaneous pain (n 28), nine bscesses contained HCMV, two abscesses contained BV, one abscess contained HSV-1, and no abscesses ontained VZV. Control PCR using genomic or recominant templates showed detection limits to a single enomic copy of HCMV, 100 genomic copies for EBV, nd 1 to 10 copies for HSV-1 with no cross-amplificaion between herpesviral DNA targets. Nested PCR was equired for detection of herpesviral DNA in the abscess pecimens, indicating that these viruses were present in ow copy number. Filtration of abscess specimens and irus transfer experiments using human fibroblastic RC-5 cells confirmed the presence of HCMV particles n several abscess specimens. We conclude that heresviruses are present but not required for the develpment of acute apical abscesses and cellulitis of enddontic origin. (J Endod 2009;35:182–188)