RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The aim of this study was to observe the coexistence of periodontal bacteria DNA (Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella. forsythensis) in coronary atheromatous plaques and subgingival plaques in patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Coronary atheromatous plaque and subgingival plaque samples were obtained from 51 patients and examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique with specific primers for periodontal bacteria.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>P. gingivalis (33%), T. forsythensis (31%), P. intermedia (18%) and F. nucleatum (12%) were detected while A. actinomycetemcomitans was negative and not found in coronary atheromatous plaques; T. forsythensis (84%), F. nucleatum (78%), P. intermedia (59%), P. gingivalis (39%) and A. actinomycetemcomitans (22%) were detected in subgingival plaque samples. Coexistence of periodontal bacteria DNA in coronary atheromatous and subgingival plaque samples was evidenced in 32 patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The coexistence of T. forsythensis, F. nucleatum, P. intermedia, P. gingivalis in coronary atheromatous plaques and the subgingival plaque samples in CAD patients could suggest a potential role for periodontal pathogenic bacteria in atherosclerosis disease process.</p>