Periodontal findings and systemic antibody responses to oral microorganisms in Behçet's disease.
BACKGROUND
Behçet's disease is a multisystem disorder of unknown etiology, affecting predominantly the oral mucosa, skin, and eyes. Recurrent and painful episodes of oral ulcerations interfere with regular oral hygiene leading to rapid bacterial plaque accumulation. The aims of this study were to evaluate the periodontal status of patients with Behçet's disease and determine serum antibody responses to selected oral microorganisms, including major periodontopathogens in these patients.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients with Behçet's disease and 15 healthy subjects were included in the study. Plaque, sulcular bleeding, periodontal index scores, probing depths, and total number of teeth were recorded. Serum IgG antibody levels to a panel of 13 oral microorganisms were determined.


RESULTS
Significantly higher values for each of the clinical measures were observed in patients with Behçet's disease compared to healthy subjects (P <0.0001). Antibody levels to selected members of plaque, including Actinomyces viscosus, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus oralis, Eikenella corrodens, Campylobacter rectus, and Prevotella intermedia were significantly lower in patients with Behçet's disease than in controls (P <0.001-0.05). In contrast, these patients exhibited significantly elevated antibody levels to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans Y4 compared to controls (P <0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that the patients with Behçet's disease generally exhibit clinical findings of established periodontal disease. Decreased antibody responses to early colonizers of both supra- and subgingival plaque were observed along with the elevation in antibody levels to A. actinomycetemcomitans. These results suggest that the bacterial plaque ecology and/or immune responses to these microorganisms may be affected in Behçet's disease which could lead to changes in the expression of periodontal disease.
Celenligil-Nazliel
H
H
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Kansu
E
E
Ebersole
J L
JL
D016924:Actinomyces viscosus / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000276:immunology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000276:immunology*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology*; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000276:immunology; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D016124:Eikenella corrodens / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000145:classification* / Q000382:microbiology; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000276:immunology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology; D019533:Streptococcus oralis / Q000276:immunology; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G