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Chlamydia pneumoniae together with collagenase‐2 (MMP‐8) in periodontal lesions
Author(s) -
Mäntylä P,
Stenman M,
Paldanius M,
Saikku P,
Sorsa T,
Meurman JH
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
oral diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.953
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1601-0825
pISSN - 1354-523X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1354-523x.2003.00980.x
Subject(s) - chlamydia , periodontitis , collagenase , dental plaque , matrix metalloproteinase , aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans , chlamydophila pneumoniae , medicine , chlamydiales , microbiology and biotechnology , dentistry , porphyromonas gingivalis , biology , immunology , biochemistry , enzyme
Objective: Dental infections may be associated with subsequent atherosclerosis. In this regard we wanted to study if traces of Chlamydia pneumoniae can be found from deep periodontal pockets characterized with elevated collagenase‐2 [matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐8] levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). Chlamydia pneumoniae has not previously been found to infect the oral cavity. Subjects and methods: Subgingival samples of dental plaque were collected from 31 teeth in 12 adult periodontitis patients by means of sterile curettes and examined for C. pneumoniae using a quantitative PCR technique. GCF samples were also collected and assayed by an immunofluorometric assay (IFMA) for MMP‐8. Results: Chlamydia pneumoniae RNA was demonstrated in a sample from one of the patients studied. Periodontal treatment eliminated the C. pneumoniae from the patient's subgingival dental plaque as well as reduced GCF MMP‐8 level. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that C. pneumoniae , which is not normally thought to be involved in periodontitis, can be found in dental plaque.