A Survey of the Serotype Distribution of Streptococcus mutans Isolated from Dental Plaques of Caries-active and Caries-free Subjects

치아우식증환자와 치아정상인(齒牙正常人)의 치태(齒苔)에서 분리(分離)한 Streptococcus mutans의 혈청형(血淸型) 분포(分布)에 관(關)한 조사(調査) 연구(硏究)

An epidemiological survey was carried out to identify the serotypes of Streplococcus mutans isolated from carious lesions of 65 caries-active subjects(CAS) and sound tooth surfaces of 40 caries-free subjects(CFS). The autoclaved antigen extract was performed on each isolate, and then, serotypes of the isolates were determined in agar-gel immunodiffusion test. The results were as follows: 1. S. mutans was found in 78% of the samples of CAS, and of CFS. The difference of isolation frequency between CAS and CFS was not observed. 2. Only one serotype per single subject was detected in 61% of total samples, in remaining 39% of samples two or more serotypes were detected. 3. In 41.2% of CAS samples plural serotypes of S. mutans were found, whereas 35.5% of CFS samples showed plural serotypes distribution. 4. The most frequently identified serotype in each subject was serotype c; 69.5% of subjects harbored serotype c S. mutans. Serotype d was next most frequently isolated from subjects, comprising 23.2%. 5. Serotype c strain was found in 64.7% of CAS, 77.4% of CFS. 6. Of the isolates from CAS and CFS, serotype c was most commonly found, comprising 48.8%, serotype d was found in 16.3%, serotypes f. e, and g comprising 13.2%, 9.3%, and 7.8% respectively. Serotypes a and b were also found but in far lower frequencies(2.3%, 0.8%). 7. Serotype c strains were more found in CFS than in CAS, but serotypes d and e were more found in CAS.