title: The Distribution of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in Patients with Alcoholic Disease: A Pilot Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both drinking and periodontal disease are serious health and social problems. Findings on the effect of alcohol consumption on periodontal disease are inconclusive.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate, in patients with alcoholic disease, the composition of the main periopathogens: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on 25 alcoholics from the Department of Alcohol Addiction Closed Treatment and 25 non-alcoholic patients from the Department of Periodontology, Wroclaw Medical University. Subgingival biofilm samples were obtained from the 4 deepest sites (≥ 4 mm). The presence of 4 bacterial taxa was analysed using the PCR technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of bacterial species was significantly different between groups. Alcoholics showed significantly higher mean DNA counts for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola. In the qualitative analysis, no difference was observed between the groups. The study showed no statistically significant association between the amount of alcohol consumed and the composition of subgingival flora in patients suffering from alcoholism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcoholics demonstrated the presence of pathogenic bacteria in similar amounts to people diagnosed with chronic periodontal disease, but showed significantly higher mean DNA counts for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola but there is no correlation between the amount of alcohol consumption and the level of periopathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sender-Janeczek
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziętek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D018441:Biofilms; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011044:Poland; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000070436:Tannerella forsythia / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D048373:Treponema denticola / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: alcoholism; periodontal disease; risk factors