Isolation of Treponema and Tannerella spp. from equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis related periodontal disease.
Authors: Sykora S, Pieber K, Simhofer H, Hackl V, Brodesser D, Brandt S
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Periodontal disease in horses, particularly equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH), remains poorly understood at the microbial level despite its significant clinical prevalence. Sykora and colleagues investigated whether the "red complex" bacteria—species including Treponema and Tannerella forsythia that drive periodontal disease in humans—colonise the equine oral cavity during EOTRH, using bacterial isolation and identification techniques on samples from affected and healthy horses. The research successfully isolated Treponema spp. and Tannerella spp. from teeth and periodontal tissues affected by EOTRH, establishing a clear microbiological link between these pathogenic bacteria and equine periodontal disease for the first time. These findings carry important implications for diagnosis and management: identifying causative pathogens opens avenues for targeted antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory interventions, potentially shifting EOTRH treatment beyond symptomatic extraction towards disease modification in the early stages. For equine practitioners, this work highlights the necessity of considering EOTRH as an infectious periodontal condition rather than purely a degenerative problem, warranting investigation into whether human-derived periodontal management protocols—such as specific antimicrobial rinses or systemic interventions—might benefit affected horses.
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Practical Takeaways
- •EOTRH should be recognized as a specific periodontal disease form in horses with potentially infectious etiology requiring targeted management
- •Identification of red complex bacteria in affected horses may guide treatment decisions and antimicrobial strategies for equine dental disease
- •Routine oral health assessment should include consideration of bacterial involvement in tooth resorption cases, not just mechanical or nutritional factors
Key Findings
- •Red complex bacteria (Treponema and Tannerella spp.) were isolated from horses with EOTRH-related periodontal disease
- •These pathogenic bacteria are associated with periodontal disease progression in equids, similar to their role in human periodontitis
- •The oral microbiome composition differs between healthy and periodontitis-affected horses