Association of three putative periodontal pathogens with chronic periodontitis in Brazilian subjects

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of Porphyromonas endodontalis, Filifactor alocis and Dialister pneumosintes with the occurrence of periodontitis. Material and Methods Thirty subjects with chronic periodontitis (ChP) and 10 with periodontal health (PH) were included in the study. Nine subgingival biofilm samples were collected as follows: i) PH group - from the mesial/buccal aspect of each tooth in two randomly chosen contralateral quadrants; ii) ChP group - from three sites in each of the following probing depth (PD) categories: shallow (≤3 mm), moderate (4-6 mm) and deep (≥7 mm). Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization was used to analyze the samples. Results We found the three species evaluated in a higher percentage of sites and at higher levels in the group with ChP than in the PH group (p<0.05, Mann-Whitney test). We also observed these differences when the samples from sites with PD≤4 mm or ≥5 mm of subjects with ChP were compared with those from subjects with PH (p<0.05, Mann-Whitney test). In addition, the prevalence and levels of D. pneumosintes, and especially of F. alocis were very low in healthy subjects (0.12x105 and 0.01x105, respectively). Conclusion F. alocis and D. pneumosintes might be associated with the etiology of ChP, and their role in the onset and progression of this infection should be further investigated. The role of P. endodontalis was less evident, since this species was found in relatively high levels and prevalence in the PH group.

Flora anaerobia predominante en conductos radiculares cerrados con pulpas necróticas / Anaerobic bacteria prevailing in closed root canals with necrotic pulps

En este estudio se hace una descripción de la flora anaerobia (estrictos y facultativos) presente en treinta dientes, de pacientes que ingresaron a la Facultad de Odontología de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, previo diagnóstico clínico y radiográfico de necrosis pulpar. Del mismo modo se relacionaron variables como edad del paciente y tipo de sintomatología manifestada (dolor, inflamación y presencia de fístula), con el aislamiento de determinado tipo de microorganismo anaerobio. Los resultados mostraron que de ochenta y nueve cepas aisladas, cincuenta y una correspondían a anaerobios estrictos (57.3 por ciento) y treinta y ocho a anaerobios facultativos (42.7 por ciento). De los estrictos, el Bacteroides melaninogenicus y el Fusobacterium nucleatum fueron los microorganismos predominantes, seguidos por el Peptococo y el Peptoestreptococo. Se encontró que en la mayoría de pacientes con sintomatología aguda se aislaron principalmente anaerobios estrictos, mientras que los pacientes asintomáticos predominaron los facultativos. Finalmente, no se encontró una influencia directa entre la edad del paciente, ni de la presencia o ausencia de fístula, con ningún tipo de microorganismo específico aislado