SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULIN-G ANTIBODIES TO PORPHYROMONAS-GINGIVALIS, PREVOTELLA-INTERMEDIA, FUSOBACTERIUM-NUCLEATUM AND STREPTOCOCCUS-SANGUIS DURING EXPERIMENTAL GINGIVITIS IN YOUNG-ADULTS

Twenty-eight young, healthy adults completed an experimental gingiviti s study in which blood and clinical recordings were obtained at baseli ne; after a 4-week period of thorough oral hygiene; after a subsequent 3-week period of plaque accumulation; and after another 2 weeks of th orough oral hygiene. Serum immunoglobulin G antibodies against whole c ells of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Streptococcus sanguis were determined using enzyme-link ed immunosorbent assay. Mean serum immunoglobulin G antibody levels to P intermedia, F nucleatum and S. sanguis remained essentially constan t during the experiment, whereas the immunoglobulin G antibodies to P gingivalis declined during the initial period of oral hygiene and the subsequent period of plaque accumulation to an average of 84.5% of the baseline value. This reduction could be attributed to the people who developed marked gingival inflammation during the period of plaque acc umulation, indicating that the systemic host response may be associate d with local tissue responses to variations in oral hygiene. These peo ple were, however, also characterized by higher initial serum immunogl obulin G responses to P gingivalis than people who developed less pron ounced gingival inflammation during the experiment. The variability an d individuality noted in the host response to potential pathogens have important implications for attempts to use such measures for establis hing a diagnosis or prognosis for the individual patient.