title: Correlation of age with distribution of periodontitis-related bacteria in Japanese dogs.
abstract: We analyzed the distribution of 11 periodontitis-related bacterial species in dental plaque collected from 176 Japanese dogs divided into young (less than 2 years of age), middle-aged (2-7 years of age) and elderly (more than 8 years of age) groups using a polymerase chain reaction method. Clinical examination revealed that no dogs in the young group were affected by periodontitis, whereas the rates for gingivitis and periodontitis were high in the middle-aged and elderly groups. In addition, the total numbers of bacterial species in the middle-aged and elderly groups were significantly greater than in the young group. Our findings suggest that age is an important factor associated with the distribution of periodontitis-related bacteria and periodontal conditions in dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.
authors.forename: Norihiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Mitsuyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Yoshie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Soraaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Michiyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto-Nakano
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Fumitoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Asai
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary