title: [Experimental study on the pathogenesis of Entamoeba gingivalis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the pathogenesis of Entamoeba gingivalis (E. g.) and its relation to periodontal diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were treated with immuno-inhibitor for one week and the neck of incisor teeth of the rats was bound with steel wire. They were randomly divided into three groups: the first group was infected by E. g. in the periodontal tissue, the second group was infected by symbiotic bacteria (s. b.), and the third group was given physiological saline as control. Observation on the periodontal inflammation was made for each group of rats, and the purulent secretion from periodontal abscess was examined for living pathogens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of periodontal diseases in rats infected by E. g. was higher than that of symbiotic bacteria group and that of control (P < 0.05), the incidence of periodontal diseases in rats infected by s. b. was higher than that of control group (P < 0.05). Living pathogens were found in the abscess liquid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  E. g. is an opportunistic pathogen, which, together with synergistic symbiotic bacteria, can cause periodontal diseases in hosts with low immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004.
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L Q
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004747:Entamoeba / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008297:Male; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013559:Symbiosis