title: Molecular analysis of oral bacteria in dental biofilm and atherosclerotic plaques of patients with vascular disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral bacteria have been detected in atherosclerotic plaques at a variable frequency; however, the connection between oral health and vascular and oral bacterial profiles of patients with vascular disease is not clearly established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of oral bacterial DNA in the mouth and atherosclerotic plaques, in addition to assessing the patients' caries and periodontal disease history.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty samples of supragingival and subgingival plaque, saliva and atherosclerotic plaques of 13 patients with carotid stenosis or aortic aneurysm were evaluated, through real-time polymerase chain reaction, for the presence of Streptococcus mutans (SM), Prevotella intermedia (PI), Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG) and Treponema denticola (TD). All patients were submitted to oral examination using the DMFT (decayed, missing and filled teeth) and PSR (Periodontal Screening and Recording) indexes. Histopathological analysis of the atherosclerotic plaques was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the patients were edentulous (76.9%). SM, PI, PG and TD were detected in 100.0%, 92.0%, 15.3% and 30.7% of the oral samples, respectively. SM was the most prevalent targeted bacteria in atherosclerotic plaques, detected in 100% of the samples, followed by PI (7.1%). The vascular samples were negative for PG and TD. There was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between the presence of PG and TD in the oral cavity and vascular samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SM was found at a high frequency in oral and vascular samples, even in edentulous patients, and its presence in atherosclerotic plaques suggests the possible involvement of this bacterium in the disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology and Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Electronic address: clarissa_pf@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Clarissa Pessoa
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology and Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Artur Forte
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology and Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Goberlânio de Barros
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Paula Negreiros Nunes
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology and Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário Rogério Lima
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.affiliation: Human Cytogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Para, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel Carvalho
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Montenegro
authors.affiliation: Human Cytogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Para, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rommel Mario Rodriguez
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Burbano
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Para, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Damasceno
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Seabra
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Glauco
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lobo Filho
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, University of Fortaleza, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danilo Lopes Ferreira
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Messejana Dr. Carlos Alberto Studart Gomes, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio Wilon Evelin
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Soares Filho
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology and Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabrício Bitu
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018441:Biofilms; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Bacteremia; Dental plaque; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Saliva; Streptococcus mutans