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Periodontal pathogen carriage, rather than periodontitis, determines the serum antibody levels
Author(s) -
Pussinen Pirkko J.,
Könönen Eija,
Paju Susanna,
Hyvärinen Kati,
Gursoy Ulvi Kahraman,
Huumonen Sisko,
Knuuttila Matti,
Suominen Anna L.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of clinical periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.456
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1600-051X
pISSN - 0303-6979
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-051x.2011.01703.x
Subject(s) - porphyromonas gingivalis , carriage , saliva , periodontal pathogen , serology , antibody , aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans , periodontitis , medicine , immunology , pathogen , population , dental plaque , gingivitis , microbiology and biotechnology , dentistry , biology , pathology , environmental health
Pussinen PJ, Könönen E, Paju S, Hyvärinen K, Gursoy UK, Huumonen S, Knuuttila M, Suominen AL. Periodontal pathogen carriage, rather than periodontitis, determines the serum antibody levels. J Clin Periodontol 2011; 38: 405–411. doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐051X.2011.01703.x. Abstract Aim: We investigated in a nationally representative sample, how periodontitis modifies the association between the carriage of periodontal pathogens and serology. Materials and Methods: The population comprised 1586 dentate subjects who participated in an interview, clinical and radiological oral health examination, and saliva collection. Serum immunoglobulin A (IgA)‐ and IgG‐class antibody levels against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis and their salivary occurrence were determined in the whole population. The quantity of the pathogens was measured in a subpopulation. Results: In the univariate analyses, the corresponding antibody levels were higher in the pathogen carriers compared with the non‐carriers, and clearly higher in the carriers with periodontal pockets compared with the carriers without. In the multi‐variate analyses, however, all antibody levels associated strongly with age ( p <0.001) and the carriage of the corresponding pathogen ( p <0.001), but only weakly with the presence or number of teeth with periodontal pockets. In the subpopulation, the antibody levels and the numbers of corresponding bacteria in saliva had a positive association, which was not affected by the disease. Conclusions: The carriage of A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis is the strongest determinant of the systemic antibody response to these pathogens, and the extent of periodontitis has at most a modest modifying effect.