In Vitro Activity of Amoxicillin, Clindamycin, Doxycycline, Metronidazole, and Moxifloxacin Against Oral Actinomyces

LeCorn, Demetrick W.; Vertucci, Frank J.; Rojas, Maria F.; Progulske-Fox, Ann; Bélanger, Myriam

doi:10.1016/j.joen.2007.02.002

« Previous Next »Journal of Endodontics
Volume 33, Issue 5 , Pages 557-560, May 2007

In Vitro Activity of Amoxicillin, Clindamycin, Doxycycline, Metronidazole, and Moxifloxacin Against Oral Actinomyces

Demetrick W. LeCorn, DMD
- Department of Endodontics, College of Dentistry, and Center for Molecular Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Frank J. Vertucci, DMD
- Department of Endodontics, College of Dentistry, and Center for Molecular Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Maria F. Rojas, DMD
- Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, and Center for Molecular Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Ann Progulske-Fox, PhD
- Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, and Center for Molecular Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Myriam Bélanger, PhD
- Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, and Center for Molecular Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
- Address requests for reprints to Dr. Myriam Bélanger, University of Florida, College of Dentistry, Department of Oral Biology, PO Box 100424, Gainesville, FL 32610-0424.

published online 31 March 2007.

Abstract

Actinomyces spp have been increasingly associated with endodontic infections. However, the antimicrobial susceptibility of this genus has not been studied extensively. The objective of this study was to determine the susceptibility of oral isolates of Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces gerencseriae, Actinomyces israelii, Actinomyces viscosus, and Actinomyces odontolyticus to amoxicillin, clindamycin, doxycycline, metronidazole, and moxifloxacin using in vitro assays. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each bacterial isolate was determined by using E-test strips (AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden). The MIC₉₀ was 0.19 μg/mL for amoxicillin, 0.25 μg/mL for doxycycline, 0.50 μg/mL for moxifloxacin, and 1.00 μg/mL for clindamycin. However, metronidazole was not active against any of the Actinomyces spp tested (MIC₉₀ > 256 μg/mL).

Key Words: Actinomyces, amoxicillin, clindamycin, doxycycline, metronidazole, moxifloxacin