INCIDENCE OF FUSOBACTERIUM NUCLEATUM IN TONGUE BIOFILM OF MOTHERS AND NEWBORNS. A NEW WAY FOR THE OLFACTORY PERCEPTION?

The anaerobic Gram negative bacterium F. nucleatum so far has been considered a putative pathogen; it is frequently associated with different human affections, such as chronic periodontitis in vaginosis microbiota and in preterm births [1]. Commonly this bacterium is isolated in oral biofilm, e.g. dental plaque, even in healthy subjects. Starkenmann et al. [2] published an article thatremarks a possible role of F. nucleatum, and others anaerobic oral bacteria, in transforming cysteine- S-coniugates, contained in fruits and vegetables, in soluble thiols able to modulate the odor’s perception [2]. In this context the role of anaerobic tongue biofilm could be interesting, i.e. the mouth acts as bioreactor transforming S-coniugates from foods to various sulfur compounds able to stimulate the olfactory system.The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the presence of F. nucleatum in the tongue surface of the mothers and the respective newborns. In fact, the significant presence of this bacterium in healthy subjects in the first day of life could suggest an unexpected physiologic function for the putative pathogen F. nucleatum.