NO CULTURAL DETECTION OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI IN DENTAL PLAQUE

Helicobacter pylori causes human type B gastritis and is involved in t he etiology of peptic ulcer disease. The routes of transmission of H. pylori are still unclear. The microorganism may be transmitted orally, since H. pylori has been detected in dental plaques. To confirm the h ypothesis that dental plaques are a reservoir of H. pylori, 100 dental plaque specimens from 55 dental surgery patients were incubated on on e nonselective and up to four selective agar media for the detection o f H. pylori. In addition, urease activity of the plaque material was t ested, and the gingival status of the patients was assessed. H. pylori was not cultivated from any of the specimens investigated. Plaque mat erial from 12 patients with moderate and severe gingivitis showed urea se activity. The results do not confirm the hypothesis that dental pla ques are a relevant reservoir of viable H. pylori cells. However, non- cultivatable forms of H. pylori may survive in dental plaques. Urea cl eaving activity of dental plaque may be a marker of gingival inflammat ion.