title: Herpesviruses 6, 7 and 8 in HIV- and non-HIV-associated periodontitis.
abstract: Human herpesviruses, especially cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus type-1, occur with higher frequency in subgingival specimens from periodontitis lesions than from healthy/gingivitis sites. Little or no information is available on the relationship between herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) and herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) and periodontal disease. This study determined the periodontal occurrence of HHV-6, HHV-7 and HHV-8 in 21 HIV-seropositive and 14 HIV-negative adults affected by periodontitis. Gingival biopsy specimens and paper-point samples of subgingival plaque were collected from sites showing 5 mm or more in probing depth. Nested polymerase chain reaction methodology was employed in herpesvirus identification. In the HIV-seropositive periodontitis group, 90% of gingival biopsies and 62% of subgingival plaque samples revealed at least one of the test viruses. HHV-6 occurred in 71%, HHV-7 in 67% and HHV-8 in 24% of gingival biopsies. In the HIV-negative adult periodontitis group, 43% of gingival biopsies showed at least 1 of the test viruses, with HHV-6 present in 21% and H HV-7 in 29% of gingival biopsies and with no detection of HHV-8. The combined occurrence of the 3 test herpesviruses was significantly higher in HIV-seropositive than in HIV-negative adult periodontitis patients (p = 0.008). The human periodontium might constitute a site of infection or reservoir for HHV-6, -7, -8.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-0641, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mardirossian
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Navazesh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nowzari
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slots
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000821:virology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral