ANTIMICROBIAL INTERFERENCE OF A SUBINHIBITORY CONCENTRATION OF AZITHROMYCIN ON FIMBRIAL PRODUCTION OF PORPHYROMONAS-GINGIVALIS

The first pathogenic mechanism of Porphyromonas gingivalis, which is m ainly responsible for adult periodontal diseases, is the attachment of fimbriae appendages to oral epithelial cells. The ability of a subinh ibitory concentration of azithromycin to inhibit the expression of fim briae in various strains of P. gingivalis isolated was investigated. A one-eighth subinhibitory concentration of azithromycin was evaluated in vitro, The antibiotic was active in 75% of P. gingivalis strains is olated, judged by both electrophoresis and transmission electron micro scopy, The results indicate that the subinhibitory concentration of az ithromycin is capable of blocking the pathogenic mechanism of P. gingi valis in vitro, and, therefore, can be used in vivo as a treatment for recurrent periodontitis.