Microbiologic analysis of periodontal pockets and carotid atheromatous plaques in advanced chronic periodontitis patients

BACKGROUND: In recent years, many researchers have focused their attention on the ability of periodontal pathogens to colonize atheromatous plaques. Nevertheless, a clear correlation between the detection rates of periodontopathic bacterial DNA in atheromas and in subgingival plaque samples has not been established. The aim of our study was to assess the presence of five periodontal pathogens (Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia [formerly Tannerella forsythensis]) in periodontal pockets and in carotid atheromas recovered from the same patients. METHODS: Thirty-three patients with advanced chronic periodontitis scheduled for endarterectomy were enrolled in the study. DNA was extracted from subgingival plaque samples and carotid atheromas. Universal bacteria primers for general detection of bacteria and species-specific primers for detection of periodontal pathogens were used to amplify part of the 16S rRNA gene by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: All subgingival plaque samples were positive for at least one target microorganism. The prevalence of T. forsythia, P. gingivalis, T. denticola, P. intermedia, and A. actinomycetemcomitans were 69.7%, 63.6%, 54.5%, 45.4%, and 33.3%, respectively. Bacterial DNA was detected in 31 out of 33 endarterectomy specimens. However, none of the samples tested positive for DNA from periodontal pathogens. CONCLUSION: The presence of periodontal bacteria in atheromatous plaques was not confirmed by this investigation; thus, no correlation could be drawn between periodontitis bacteria and microorganisms involved in the atherosclerotic lesions.