title: Presence of JP2 and Non-JP2 Genotypes of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and attachment loss in adolescents in Ghana.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited data are reported concerning the presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans and attachment loss (AL) in sub-Saharan countries. The authors investigate the carrier frequency of JP2 and non-JP2 genotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans and the presence of AL in Ghanaian adolescents and evaluate socioeconomic conditions and oral hygiene practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred individuals (mean ± SD age: 13.2 ± 1.5 years) in public and private schools were interviewed about demographic characteristics and oral hygiene practices and were given a full-mouth periodontal examination. Subgingival plaque samples were obtained from periodontal sites around permanent first molars and incisors. The carrier status of A. actinomycetemcomitans at the individual level was determined based on results obtained by cultivation and polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings of this study show a relatively high carrier rate of JP2 and non-JP2 genotypes of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in the Ghanaian adolescent population and the presence of this bacterium is associated with the occurrence of AL. The overall carrier rate of A. actinomycetemcomitans was 54.4%, and the highly leukotoxic JP2 genotype was detected in 8.8% of the study population. A total of 107 (21.4%) individuals had ≥ 1 tooth with AL ≥ 3 mm. The majority of the individuals carrying A. actinomycetemcomitans (80.1%) (P <0.001) and of the periodontally diseased individuals (91.6%) (P <0.001) were found in public schools.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A. actinomycetemcomitans and AL were frequently found in Ghanaian adolescents. The school type was the strongest predictor of both presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans and AL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Odontology, Division of Molecular Periodontology, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. carola.hoglund.aberg@odont.umu.se
authors.forename: Carola Höglund
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Åberg
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kwamin
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Claesson
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Dorte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haubek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000235:genetics*; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002353:Carrier State; D002648:Child; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000208:ethnology / Q000382:microbiology; D017149:Private Sector; D017150:Public Sector; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005098:Exotoxins; C018579:leukotoxin