title: Prevalence and quantitative analysis of Epstein-Barr virus DNA and Porphyromonas gingivalis associated with Japanese chronic periodontitis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A number of studies have recently suggested Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) involvement in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. In this study, we investigated the association between major periodontopathic bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) and EBV in Japanese chronic periodontitis (CP) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 25 patients with CP participated in the study along with 13 individuals without periodontitis. Subgingival samples were obtained with paper points. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect EBV DNA and P. gingivalis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the CP patients, EBV DNA and P. gingivalis were detected in both 80 % of sites with probing pocket depths (PPD) of ≥5 mm and in 40 and 36 % of sites with PPD ≤3 mm, respectively. EBV DNA and P. gingivalis were detected in 50 and 27 % of the sites in periodontally healthy individuals. Coexistence of EBV DNA and P. gingivalis was significantly higher in the deeper PPD sites of CP patients (68 %) than in the PPD sites of the healthy controls (15 %) and shallow PPD sites of CP patients (12 %). PCR-positive deeper PPD sites of CP patients for EBV DNA and P. gingivalis range between 3.74 × 10(3)∼2.83 × 10(9) and 2.73 × 10(5)∼6.65 × 10(9) (copies/ml), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest an association between EBV DNA, P. gingivalis, and CP in Japanese individuals. Further studies are required to clarify this association; however, we believe that our enhanced understanding of the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases involving viral infections will lead to new treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Chiba, 271-8587, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Kuniyasu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Yorimasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogata
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000254:growth & development*; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004247:DNA