Occurrence of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in Brazilians with chronic periodontitis.
Studies have suggested that A. actinomycetemcomitans is involved in the aetiology of aggressive periodontitis as well as in chronic periodontitis. This study was aimed at elucidating the occurrence of A. actinomycetemcomitans in a Brazilian population with chronic periodontitis. A total of 555 (mean age 33.04 +/- 12.45) individuals, living in two large areas of the São Paulo State, namely "Baixada Santista" and "Vale do Paraíba", and diagnosed with mild [180 (mean age 29.59 +/- 10.94)], moderate [241 (mean age 31.18 +/- 11.45)] or severe [134 (mean age 33.04 +/- 12.45)] chronic periodontitis were enrolled in this survey. Clinical exams including measurements of Probing Depth, Clinical Attachment Loss, Plaque and Gingival indices and subgingival microbiological assessments were performed at all population. The genomic DNA of A. actinomycetemcomitans was identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction from periodontal pocket samples. The occurrence of A. actinomycetemcomitans among chronic periodontitis subjects as well as its association with age and gender were statistically analysed using the Chi-square and Odds Ratio tests. The significance of differences was established at 5% (p < 0.05). A. actinomycetemcomitans was detected in 102 (18.37%) individuals: 29 (16.11%) mild; 42 (17.42%) moderate; and 31 (23.13%) severe chronic periodontitis with no statistical difference among groups. A higher occurrence of the searched bacterium was found both in the youngest group (p < 0.05) as well as in the female group (p < 0.05). This study elucidated that A. actinomycetemcomitans harbored subgingival pockets of our target group of chronic periodontitis subjects and that this bacterium seems to be inversely related to age, but related to the female gender.
Cortelli
José Roberto
JR
Department of Periodontology, University of Taubaté, SP, Brazil. jrcortelli@uol.com.br
Roman-Torres
Caio Vinícius Gonçalves
CV
Aquino
Davi Romeiro
DR
Franco
Gilson Cesar Nobre
GC
Costa
Fernando Oliveira
FO
Cortelli
Sheila Cavalca
SC
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001938:Brazil; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010512:Periodontal Index; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012737:Sex Factors