TRYPSIN-LIKE ACTIVITY LEVELS OF TREPONEMA-DENTICOLA AND PORPHYROMONAS-GINGIVALIS IN ADULTS WITH PERIODONTITIS

Treponema denticola (Td) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) are associa ted with human moderate and severe adult periodontal diseases. This st udy quantifies these two anaerobes and their trypsin-like (TL) activit ies in subgingival plaque collected from both clinically healthy and p eriodontally diseased sites of human periodontitis patients. Antigen l evels of the microorganisms were determined by monoclonal antibodies a nd TL activities were measured by the fluorescent substrate Z-gly-gly- arg-AFC in a disc format. Significant positive correlations were obser ved between the antigen levels and the TL activities when the data wer e subjected to statistical analyses both on a site-specific and on a p atient basis. Anaerobe synergism was found between Td and Pg in a cont inental US population, and positive correlations were found between an aerobe levels (individually and total) and clinical indicators of adul t periodontitis.