Rothia dentocariosa
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Rothia dentocariosa is a bacteria that is a part of the normal community of microbes residing in the mouth and respiratory tract. Variable or pleomorphic in shape and similar to Actinomyces and Nocardia, Rothia was only defined as a genus in 1967.
Microbiology
Rothia dentocariosa is a species of gram-positive, round to rod shaped bacteria that is a part of the normal community of microbes residing in the mouth and respiratory tract. Rothia dentocariosa, like several other species of oral bacteria, is able to reduce nitrate to nitrite, and one study found it in 3% of isolates of nitrate reducing bacteria from the mouth.
Role in Disease
First isolated from dental caries, Rothia dentocariosa is largely benign, but does very rarely cause disease. The most common Rothia infection is endocarditis, typically in people with underlying heart valve disorders. Literature case reports show other tissues that are rarely infected include the peritoneum[1], tonsils, lung, cornea, endophthalmitis. It has been implicated in periodontal disease, and one hypothesis is that Rothia periodontal disease, or dental procedures in turn, may be first steps in the infection of other tissues. They are also known to cause fatal in utero infections and septic arthritis.
Treatment
Like other Rothia infections reported in the literature, once the cause of infection was identified, this responded fully to treatment with antibiotics. Rothia infections may be treated with penicillin, erythromycin, cefazolin, rifampin, aminoglycoside, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.