title: Evaluation of the subgingival microbiota of alcoholic and non-alcoholic individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the composition of the subgingival microbiota of alcoholic and non-alcoholic individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted with 49 alcoholic and 49 non-alcoholic males of the Philippe Pinel Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The subjects were selected by convenience and two criteria were used to diagnose alcohol dependence: the CAGE (cut-down, annoyed, guilt, eyes-opener) questionnaire and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (WHO). Subgingival biofilm samples were obtained from 4 sites, 2 with probing depth (PD) ≥ 4 mm and 2 sites with PD < 4 mm. The presence and levels of 45 bacterial taxa were analysed using the checkerboard technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of bacterial species was not significantly different between groups. However, alcoholics showed significantly higher mean counts of Aggregactibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis (adjusted p < 0.001). Moreover, alcoholics harboured significantly higher mean levels of Capnocytophaga sputigena, Fusobacterium nucleatum vincentii, F. nuc. nucleatum, Gemella morbillorum, Neisseria mucosa, P. gingivalis, Streptococcus gordonii, and Tannerella forsythia at sites with PD < 4 mm or ≥ 4 mm compared to non-alcoholics (p ≤ 0.001). Of interest, shallow sites of alcoholics presented significantly higher mean levels of F. nuc. vincentii, F. nuc nucleatum, P. gingivalis, and T. forsythia than sites with PD ≥ 4 mm of non-alcoholics (p ≤ 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcoholics and non-alcoholics present a diverse and complex microbiota; however, alcoholics harbour significantly higher levels of periodontopathic species in the subgingival microbiota than non-alcoholics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Dental Clinic, Veiga de Almeida University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. osenjakcris@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Cristine da Silva Furtado
authors.initials: Cda S
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Carina Maciel
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: da Silva-Boghossian
authors.forename: Anna Thereza Thomé
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Leão
authors.forename: Ana Paula Vieira
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000382:microbiology*; D001938:Brazil; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058889:Molecular Typing / Q000379:methods; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000382:microbiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial