Assessment of the microbiota of a mixed infection of the tongue using phenotypic and genotypic methods simultaneously and a review of the literature

We assessed the microbiota of a tongue abscess in which twelve different aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were identified using fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH), sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and phenotypic methods. By applying the 16S rRNA based probes directly on the clinical material, a quick insight of the bacteria present was obtained and the species which were not cultured but present in the abscess were identified.