Herpesviruses in HIV-periodontitis.
OBJECTIVE
Human herpesvirus-associated diseases exhibit elevated morbidity and mortality in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of herpesviruses in HIV-periodontitis.


METHODS
Gingival biopsies from periodontitis lesions of 21 HIV-patients and 14 non HIV-patients were studied. Nested-polymerase chain reaction methods were employed to detect human cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus type 1 and 2 (EBV-1, EBV-2), herpes simplex virus, human herpes virus (HHV)-6, HHV-7 and HHV-8.


RESULTS
Gingival biopsies from HIV-periodontitis lesions showed on average 4.0 herpesvirus species and gingival biopsies from HIV periodontitis lesions of non-HIV patients revealed an average of 1.9 herpesvirus species (p<0.001). Occurrence of 4 to 6 different herpesviruses was more common in HIV- than in non HIV-gingival biopsies (71% vs. 7%) (p<0.001). EVB-2 was detected in 12 (57%) biopsies from HIV-periodontitis but was absent in non HIV-periodontitis biopsies (p= 0.002). HHV-6 also occurred in significantly higher frequency in HIV-periodontitis (71%) than in non HIV-periodontitis (21%) (p=0.01). HHV-8 was detected only in biopsies from HIV-periodontitis lesions..


CONCLUSIONS
HIV-periodontitis seems to be associated with elevated occurrence of EBV-2, HHV-6 and herpesvirus co-infections compared to periodontitis in non-HIV-patients. The periodontopathic significance of herpesviruses in HIV-periodontitis constitutes a research topic of considerable interest.
Contreras
A
A
Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-0641, USA.
Mardirossian
A
A
Slots
J
J
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000821:virology*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
D004279:DNA, Viral