Background: A few methanogens have been previously recovered from periodontitis lesions, yet their repertoire may not be completed. We recovered a previously unreported methanogen species in this situation.
Case presentation: A 64-year-old Caucasian woman was diagnosed with chronic, severe generalized periodontitis. In the presence of negative controls, an 18-month culture of periodontal pockets in anaerobe Hungate tube yielded "Methanobrevibacter massiliense" and Pyramidobacter piscolens.
Conclusions: This case report provides evidence of the symbiotic strategy deployed by the methanogens and the anaerobes, and reports the first culture of a new methanogen, "M. massiliense".
Keywords: Archaea; Methanogen; Periodontitis; Pyramidobacter piscolens; “Methanobrevibacter massiliense”.