title: Differential detection rate of periodontopathic bacteria in atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Periodontitis has been associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular lesions. There may be a link between periodontopathic bacterial infection and atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 53 patients with atherosclerosis, periodontal disease was classified according to the probing depth of the periodontal pocket. To compare the detection rate in different arterial lesion, specimens of diseased arteries (10 primary atherosclerotic lesions, 43 anastomotic lesions) and 21 control arteries without atherosclerotic findings macroscopically and microscopically in the arterial wall, obtained during the surgical procedures were examined for the presence of five species of putative periodontal bacteria using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one of the 53 patients (96%) had periodontitis, and 34 (64%) of those patients had severe periodontitis or were edentulous. In total, PCR analysis detected DNA specific for periodontal bacteria in 28 of the 53 specimens (52%) of atherosclerotic arterial wall. Only 5 of 21 (23%) were detected in control specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high percentage of periodontopathic bacteria were detected in atherosclerotic arterial wall specimens from patients with atherosclerosis, especially with primary atherosclerotic lesions, and most cases had severe periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular and Applied Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyofuku
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Nobuhisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jibiki
authors.forename: Norihide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sugano
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Umeda
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izumi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D041963:Bacteroidetes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015661:Pasteurellaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000150:complications; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011446:Prospective Studies; D048373:Treponema denticola / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial