Sevinç Aktemur Türker, Gülhan Avcı, Füsun Cömert
Clinical Dentistry and Research - 2026;50(1):30-37
Background and Aim: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the presence of Enterococcus faecalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Peptostreptococcus micros, Streptococcus spp., and Candida albicans in the primary and secondary/persistent infected root canals of patients with diabetes mellitus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Materials and Methods: Microbial samples were collected from 30 root canals of 30 patients with type 2 diabetes, who had either primary (n=15) or secondary/persistent (n=15) root canal infections. PCR was used to detect 6 bacterial and 1 fungal species. DNA extracted from the samples was analysed for the presence of 16S rDNA and then for the target species by species-specific primers. Qualitative variables were statistically analysed via the Pearson chi-square test, Yates-corrected chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test. The difference between groups in terms of age was analysed via the independent samples t-test (p = 0.05). Results: 16S rDNA was detected in all the samples. Twenty-one samples produced amplicons with 1 or more of the 6 specific bacterial primer pairs. No amplicons with any of the specific primers were observed in the 9 samples where 16S rDNA was detected. All the microorganisms tested were detected with equal prevalence in both primary and secondary/persistent root canal infections (p>0.05). Streptococcus spp. was the most frequently detected species in primary (53.3%) and secondary/persistent (46.7%) infections. C. albicans was not detected in any of the samples. E. faecalis was detected in only one sample of secondary/persistent infections. Conclusion: Primary and secondary/persistent root canal infections in patients with diabetes mellitus had similar microbial compositions.
