Detection of human cytomegalovirus in dental plaque from individual periodontal sites by real-time polymerase chain reaction.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to evaluate three primer-probe sets and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in dental plaque from individual periodontal sites.


METHODS
Fifty subgingival plaque specimens from 13 healthy subjects (on average at least 2 healthy and 2 periodontal disease sites per subject) and 50 saliva specimens from 24 subjects, including 16 controls, were assessed using 3 primer-probe sets (polymerase [POL], glycoprotein B [gB], and US14) and real-time PCR. Kappa statistics were performed to measure agreement between the primer-probe sets.


RESULTS
There was excellent agreement between the gB and POL primers in the detection of HCMV (kappa statistic = 0.85 [95% confidence interval 0.71-0.99]), yielding a prevalence of 4% (2 out of 50) at individual periodontal disease sites and a similar rate of 8.8% (3 out of 34) in saliva.


CONCLUSIONS
Human cytomegalovirus was infrequently detected in dental plaque. Of 3 primer-probe sets evaluated, those targeting the POL and gB genes were more accurate in the detection of HCMV than that targeting US14.
Combs
Darrin R
DR
Department of microbiology, College of Dentistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0297, USA.
Reilly
Elizabeth A
EA
Dawson
Dolphus R
DR
Avdiushko
Sergei A
SA
Danaher
Robert J
RJ
Miller
Craig S
CS
D000328:Adult; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000821:virology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral