Primary chronic osteomyelitis of the jaw--a microbial investigation using cultivation and DNA analysis: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to investigate the infectious etiology of primary chronic osteomyelitis (PCO) of the jaw using an extraoral sampling approach and molecular methods.

STUDY DESIGN: In this pilot study, bone biopsies from the mandibles of 5 patients with PCO were sampled with an extraoral sterile approach. Cultivation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed.

RESULTS: Two of the biopsies yielded growth of Propionebacterium acnes. One biopsy also demonstrated Staphylococcus capitis. The biopsies with bacterial growth were also positive for the same bacteria by PCR analysis.

CONCLUSION: No specific bacterial etiology was demonstrated. However, the results of bacterial cultivation and PCR analysis were in agreement. Based on these findings, the molecular procedure used in this study can be considered to be suitable for identification of bacterial specimens in mandibular biopsies. Further studies are needed with larger patient populations to confirm these findings.