EFFECTS ON MONKEYS OF INTRODUCTION OF HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI INTO ROOT CANALS

¹ The Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.

Bacteriologic and histopathologic studies have been made on the effects of inoculation of streptococci into the tooth root canals of 8 Macacus mulatta monkeys. It was shown that transient bacteremias could be produced by such inoculation, and that the inoculated organisms were recoverable from tooth root canals at terminal examination. Experimental root-end lesions were revealed by histopathologic, but rarely by radiographic, examination. Signs of systemic effects in the 8 inoculated monkeys were limited to significant responses in antistreptolysin O titer in 3 animals, and minor increases in erythrocyte sedimentation rate in 2 cases. The experimental treatment did not result in cardiac changes typical of rheumatic disease.