PREVALENCE OF SUSPECTED PERIODONTAL PATHOGENS IDENTIFIED USING ELISA IN ADOLESCENTS OF DIFFERING ETHNIC-ORIGINS

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Actinobacillu s actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella inter media in a group of adolescents and investigate the association of the se organisms with various clinical parameters. A total of 527, 11-13-y ear-old children, of whom 333 (63%) were white Caucasian, 187 (35%) In do-Pakistani and 7 (1%) Afro-Caribbean, participated in the study. Sub gingival plaque samples, collected from the mesio-buccal of both upper first permanent molars using sterile paper points, were stored in pho sphate buffered saline with 0.01% thiomersal and analysed for the pres ence of A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis and P. intermedia usin g ELISA. The mesio-buccal sites of both upper Ist permanent molars wer e also examined and the presence/absence of supragingival plaque, subg ingival calculus, bleeding on probing and pocket depths greater than 3 mm were recorded. The % of while Caucasian children in whom the monoc lonal antibody identified at least 1 site with A. actinomycetemcomitan s, P. gingivalis and P. intermedia were 4%, 3% and 2%, respectively, a nd for Indo-Pakistanis were 3%, 17% and 2%. The difference for P. ging ivalis was statistically significant (p<0.001). The associations betwe en the clinical parameters and the 3 organisms were considered separat ely for both upper first molar sites. The prevalence of P. gingivalis was higher for sites with subgingival calculus, pockets >3 mm and blee ding on probing (p<0.01).