Serotypes of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in patients with different ethnic backgrounds.
BACKGROUND
The identification of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans) serotypes may add some important information to the understanding of the pathogenetic background of severe periodontal infections. This study compared serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans in two groups of periodontal patients with different ethnic backgrounds.


METHODS
A total of 194 patients (96 Germans and 98 Koreans) with aggressive or severe chronic periodontitis participated in the study. Microbiologic analysis of pooled samples from subgingival plaque was performed by using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for A. actinomycetemcomitans. In patients who tested positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans, serotypes (a through f) were determined by nucleic acid-based methods.


RESULTS
The prevalence of patients who tested positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans with the real-time PCR was comparable in both groups (Germans: 27.0%; Koreans: 22.2%). In German patients, the serotypes detected most frequently were b (33.3%), c (25.0%), and a (20.8%), whereas in Korean patients, the serotype distribution was different, with serotypes c (61.9%) and d (19.0%) accounting for >80% of the complete serotype spectrum.


CONCLUSIONS
Even if the percentage of patients who tested positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans was identical in patients with generalized aggressive and severe chronic periodontitis and different ethnic backgrounds, the distribution of A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes may exhibit marked differences.
Kim
Ti-Sun
TS
Section of Periodontology, Department of Operative Dentistry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. ti-sun_kim@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Frank
Patrick
P
Eickholz
Peter
P
Eick
Sigrun
S
Kim
Chong Kwan
CK
D000189:Actinobacillus Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000145:classification*; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000382:microbiology*; D044466:Asian People; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005006:Ethnicity; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000382:microbiology; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012703:Serotyping; D044465:White People
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; C018579:leukotoxin