16S rRNA-based detection of oral pathogens in coronary atherosclerotic plaque.

Background: Atherosclerosis develops as a response of the vessel wall to injury. Chronic bacterial infections have been associated with an increased risk for atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. The ability of oral pathogens to colonize in coronary atheromatous plaque is well known. Aim: The aim of this study was to detect the presence of Treponema denticola, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Campylobacter rectus in the subgingival and atherosclerotic plaques of patients with coronary artery disease. Materials and Methods: Fifty-one patients in the age group of 40-80 years with coronary artery disease were selected for the study. DNA was extracted from the plaque samples. The specific primers for T. denticola, C. rectus and P. gingivalis were used to amplify a part of the 16S rRNA gene by polymerase chain reaction. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi-square analysis, correlation coefficient and prevalence percentage of the microorganisms were carried out for the analysis. Results: Of the 51 patients, T. denticola, C. rectus and P. gingivalis were detected in 49.01%, 21.51% and 45.10% of the atherosclerotic plaque samples. Conclusions: Our study revealed the presence of bacterial DNA of the oral pathogenic microorganisms in coronary atherosclerotic plaques. The presence of the bacterial DNA in the coronary atherosclerotic plaques in significant proportion may suggest the possible relationship between periodontal bacterial infection and genesis of coronary atherosclerosis.

The detection of eight putative periodontal pathogens in adult and rapidly progressive periodontitis patients: an institutional study.

PURPOSE: Periodontal disease is a commonly prevalent problem faced alike by both the developed and third world countries but showing wide variations in prevalence and severity across different geographical areas. The purpose was to identify Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Prevotella intermedia (Pi), Ekinella corrodens (Ec), Campylobacter rectus (Cr), Bacteroides forsythus (Bf), Treponema denticola (Td) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) in Indian adult periodontitis and rapidly progressive periodontitis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Paper points were used to collect the sample from 28 sites in both adult periodontitis and rapidly progressive periodontitis (8 healthy/20 diseased sites) patients and DNA analysis done. The categorical data was analysed by Fishers exact test and difference in the clinical parameters was tested by Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: In healthy sites of adult and rapidly progressive periodontitis patients, Aa, Ec, Bf and Aa, Pg, Pi, Td, Fn were detected respectively. However, when diseased and healthy sites were compared in both adult periodontitis and rapidly progressive periodontitis patients respectively, only Pg( P =0.004), Cr( P =0.04), Fn( P =0.014) and Pg( P =0.002), Cr( P =0.02), Fn( P =0.008) were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of the microorganisms correlate with the clinical parameters like probing depth and bleeding on probing as seen in the Japanese and Western periodontitis patients' population.