Low prevalence of subgingival viruses in periodontitis patients.
BACKGROUND
Viruses such as Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) have been proposed to be periodontal pathogens. The aim of this study was to analyse the presence of herpesvirus DNA in subgingival plaque samples of patients with different forms of periodontitis and in healthy periodontia.


METHODS
A total of 140 ethnically mixed (prevalently Caucasian) subjects took part in the study. Sixteen were affected by localized aggressive periodontitis (LAgP), 64 by generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP), 20 by chronic periodontitis (CP) and 40 were periodontally healthy. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were performed to detect HCMV and EBV. Sera were tested for anti-HCMV and EBV IgG antibodies. PCRs for herpes simplex (HSV) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) were performed in subgingival samples from a subset of 20 AgP subjects.


RESULTS
HCMV DNA was not detected in any plaque samples. EBV DNA was detected in four LAgP (25%), two GAgP (3%) subjects and four healthy individuals (10%). HSV DNA and VZV DNA were not detected in the subset of studied individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
This study challenges the previously reported high prevalence of herpesvirus DNA in subgingival samples from periodontitis patients and so questions whether they act as pathogens in such patients.
Nibali
Luigi
L
Periodontology Unit, Eastman Dental Institute, London WC1X 8LD, UK.
Atkinson
Claire
C
Griffiths
Paul
P
Darbar
Ulpee
U
Rakmanee
Thanasak
T
Suvan
Jeanie
J
Donos
Nikos
N
D000328:Adult; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000821:virology; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000821:virology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000821:virology*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000821:virology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000821:virology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000821:virology*; D010519:Periodontium / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G