title: Can one acquire periodontal bacteria and periodontitis from a family member?
abstract: Recent findings suggest that two major periodontal pathogenes, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis, are transmitted among family members. The authors discuss the evidence of person-to-person transmission of periodontal bacteria, the significance of saliva as a vehicle of transmission and the methods of verifying clonal similarity of bacterial strains obtained from family members. The authors also discuss the prophylactic and therapeutic implications of the person-to-person spread of periodontal bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asikainen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alaluusua
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slots
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005192:Family Health; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D010290:Parents; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D010519:Periodontium / Q000382:microbiology*; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology; D012703:Serotyping; D018454:Spouses