MICROBIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR INSIGHTS INTO ORAL MICROFLORA DYSBIOSIS IN RECURRENT APHTHOUS STOMATITIS
Jyotiprakash Nayak, Bhumika Yadu, Debasmita Dubey, Rakhi Bajpai*
ABSTRACT
Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a common inflammatory disorder of the oral mucosa characterized by
recurrent, painful ulcerations with multifactorial etiology. Emerging evidence suggests that oral microbial
dysbiosis and antimicrobial resistance may contribute to lesion persistence and recurrence. The present study
aimed to investigate the microbiological and molecular characteristics of oral microflora associated with RAS.
Oral swab samples (n = 13) were collected from patients with active aphthous ulcers and subjected to culturebased
identification, Gram staining, and biochemical characterization. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was
performed using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Phenotypic detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase
(ESBL) production was carried out using the combination disc method, followed by PCR-based detection of
resistance genes. The results demonstrated a predominance of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa in ulcerative lesions. Gram-positive isolates exhibited resistance to oxacillin and ciprofloxacin, while
Gram-negative isolates showed multidrug resistance patterns. Notably, 50% of P. aeruginosa isolates were
confirmed as ESBL producers. Molecular analysis identified the presence of blaTEM and blaCTX-M genes among
phenotypically positive isolates. These findings highlight a significant association between oral microbial
dysbiosis, antimicrobial resistance, and RAS, underscoring the importance of microbiological profiling in
understanding disease pathogenesis and guiding targeted therapeutic strategies
Keywords: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis, Oral microflora, Microbial dysbiosis, Antimicrobial resistance, Extended-spectrum ?-lactamase (ESBL).
[Full Text Article]
[Download Certificate]
Impact Factor : 8.181 
