Relationship between herpesviruses and adult periodontitis and periodontopathic bacteria

Background: Various mammalian viruses and specific bacteria seem to play im portant roles in the pathogenesis of human periodontitis. This study examin ed the relationship between subgingival herpesviruses and periodontal disea se and potential periodontopathic bacteria in 140 adults exhibiting either periodontitis or gingivitis. Methods: A nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method determined the pre sence of Epstein-Barr virus type 1 and type 2 (EBV-1, EBV-2), human cytomeg alovirus (HCMV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV) and a 16S rRNA PCR detectio n method identified Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gin givalis, Bacteroides forsythus,Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens ; and Treponema denticola Results: Using a logistic analysis, EBV-1 showed significant positive assoc iation with P. gingivalis (odds ratio [OR] 3.37), and with coinfections of P. gingivalis and P. intermedia (OR 4.03); P. gingivalis and B. forsythus ( OR 3.84); P. gingivalis and T. denticola (OR 4.17); P. gingivalis; B. forsy thus, and T. denticola (OR 4.06); and P. gingivalis, P. nigrescens, and T. denticola (OR 3.29). EBV-1 also showed positive association with severe per iodontitis (OR 5.09), with increasing age (OR 1.03), and with periodontal p robing depth at the sample sites (OR 1.77). HCMV was positively associated with coinfections of P. gingivalis and P. nigrescens(OR 3.23); P. gingivali s, B. forsythus, and P. nigrescens(OR 3.23); and P. gingivalis, P. nigresce ns, and T. denticola (OR 2.59); with severe periodontitis (OR 4.65); and wi th age (OR 1.03), Patients with mixed viral infections revealed significant associations with P. gingivalis (OR 2.27), and with coinfections of P. gin givalis and B, forsythus (OR 2.06); P. gingivalis and P. nigrescens (OR 2.9 1); P. gingivalis, B. forsythus,and P. nigrescens (OR 2.91) and P. gingival is, P. nigrescens, and I: denticola (OR 2.70) with the clinical diagnosis o f slight (OR 3.73), moderate (OR 3.82), or severe periodontitis (OR 4.36), and with probing depth at the sample sites (OR 1.39). HSV and EBV-2 showed no significant associations with any of the variables tested. Conclusions: The results indicate that subgingival EBV-1, HCMV, and viral c oinfections are associated with the subgingival presence of some periodonta l pathogens and periodontitis. Herpesviruses may exert periodontopathic pot ential by decreasing the host resistance against subgingival colonization a nd multiplication of periodontal pathogens.