Bacteriological profile of carious lesions in Kinshasa: a series of 50 cases from the Boyambi Dental Clinic and the Camp Kokolo Military Hospital

Abstract

Context and objectives. Although dental caries is very common in sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about the germs involved. The aims of the present study were to identify the nature and determine the antibiotic susceptibility of carious lesion germs in hospital settings. Methods. This was a descriptive series of cases with carious lesions aged at least 16 years, carried out at the Camp Kokolo Central Military Hospital and the Boyambi Dental Clinic in Kinshasa, between August 15 and September 15, 2022. The parameters studied were age, sex, nature of germs and antibiogram. Results. A total of 50 patients were examined. The most common age group was between 20 and 30 years, and females predominated (60%), with an M/F sex ratio of 1:1.5. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most isolated germ (14%), followed by Kocuria kristinae (12%) and Rothia dentocariosa (8%). Of the germs identified, 9 out of 17 (52.9%) were sensitive to ciprofloxacin, while total resistance to tetracycline was noted. Conclusion. The bacterial ecology of carious lesions is highly varied and could provide a therapeutic guide for these lesions. Received: October 31th, 2023 Accepted: July 5th, 2024 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v17i4.11