NONRADIOACTIVELY LABELED DNA PROBES FOR THE DETECTION OF PERIODONTOPATHOGENIC PREVOTELLA AND PORPHYROMONAS SPECIES

Dioxigenin-labelled synthetic DNA probes directed against the 16S rRNA were used for the direct detection of the periodontopathogenic bacter ia Prevotella intermedia and Porphyromonas gingivalis in subgingival p laque by applying a DNA-RNA dot-blot hybridization procedure. The test was evaluated with 134 plaque samples from 26 patients with adult per iodontitis or rapidly progressive periodontitis. The lower limit of de tection was 10(4)-10(5) bacteria/specimen. A semiquantitative assessme nt of the two species in each sample and in the corresponding periodon tal site was achieved by this technique. It is possible to examine 80- 90 samples within two days with low material costs.