COMPARISON OF PERIODONTAL-DISEASE IN HIV-SEROPOSITIVE SUBJECTS AND CONTROLS .2. MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY AND PREDICTORS OF DISEASE PROGRESSION

The aims of this study were to compare the prevalence of suspected per iodontal pathogens in subgingival plaque from 29 HIV seropositive and 27 control subjects and to determine the association of these bacteria with periodontal destruction. Subgingival plaque was collected from t he mesiobuccal sites of ah teeth, except 3rd molars. Bacteria were ide ntified and enumerated using non-isotopic whole chromosomal DNA probes and a colony lift method. At baseline, HIV seropositive subjects had significantly higher mean % of Porphyromonas gingivalis than control s ubjects. This difference could be attributed to a subgroup of HIV sero positive subjects with widespread attachment loss. No correlations wer e observed between the mean %s of DNA probe species and mean attachmen t loss, CD4 and CD8 T lymphocyte counts or CD4: CD8 ratio. No signific ant microbiological differences were detected between active and contr ol sites in HIV seropositive subjects on a longitudinal basis. There a ppeared to be an inverse relationship between the mean %s of P. gingiv alis and V. parvula, with respect to progression of HIV infection. The ability of microbiological parameters to predict site-specific breakd own in HIV seropositive subjects requires further investigation.