Isolation of Mycoplasma from Human Root Canals

¹ School of Dentistry and Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Cultural and morphological characteristics of Mycoplasma isolated from human root canals have been investigated. These organisms, which were tentatively identified as Mycoplasma salivarium, lost their ability to form colonies when placed in brewer thioglycolate medium, glucose ascites broth, and trypticase soy broth. Chloramphenicol and kanamycin, at concentrations of 0.1 µg./ml., inhibited growth of strains RC1 and RC2. Storage at —60° C. provided maximum preservation of colonyforming ability of strain RC1.