COLONIZATION BY ACTINOBACILLUS-ACTINOMYCETEMCOMITANS, PORPHYROMONAS-GINGIVALIS AND PREVOTELLA-INTERMEDIA IN ADULT PERIODONTITIS PATIENTS ASDETECTED BY THE ANTIBODY-BASED EVALUSITE-TEST

Studies were performed to evaluate the detection of disease-associated bacterial colonization in adult periodontitis patients by the antibod y-based Evalusite Test(TM) (Eastman Kodak Company). The association of test results with disease was assessed by collecting 104 duplicate su bgingival plaque samples from 26 patients. Samples were tested for Act inobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingiva(is and Prevot ella intermedia using both microbiological culture and the immunoassay test. The sensitivity and specificity of the 2 methods was calculated using %s of positive results in deep periodontal pockets and negative results in shallow subgingival sites. A cutoff >10(4) cultivable coun ts yielded the greatest discrimination between health and disease on a cross-sectional basis and established this threshold as clinically re levant for the detection of disease-associated levels of bacterial col onization by these three microorganisms. The clinical detection limit of the immunoassay test was observed to coincide with this threshold o f >10(4) cultivable counts. Microbiological testing of the 4 deepest p ockets using the immunoassay test was determined to be sufficient to y ield a 90% confidence of detecting positive patients in a study with 5 9 adult subjects. The immunoassay test method was also demonstrated to be effective at detecting bacterial colonization in sets of paper poi nt samples that were pooled for analysis. An overall agreement of 94% (288 of 306) was observed when comparing test results for duplicate se ts of pooled and individual samples collected from 51 patients. These studies demonstrate that the Evalusite Test is an effective method for detecting clinically relevant colonization by the test bacteria in pa tients at risk for periodontal disease.