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Serotypes of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in Patients With Different Ethnic Backgrounds
Author(s) -
Kim TiSun,
Frank Patrick,
Eickholz Peter,
Eick Sigrun,
Kim Chong Kwan
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.036
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1943-3670
pISSN - 0022-3492
DOI - 10.1902/jop.2009.090241
Subject(s) - aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans , actinobacillus , serotype , medicine , aggressive periodontitis , periodontitis , chronic periodontitis , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , immunology , porphyromonas gingivalis
Background: The identification of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans ) serotypes may add some important information to the understanding of the pathogenetic background of severe periodontal infections. This study compared serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans in two groups of periodontal patients with different ethnic backgrounds. Methods: A total of 194 patients (96 Germans and 98 Koreans) with aggressive or severe chronic periodontitis participated in the study. Microbiologic analysis of pooled samples from subgingival plaque was performed by using a real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for A. actinomycetemcomitans . In patients who tested positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans , serotypes (a through f) were determined by nucleic acid‐based methods. Results: The prevalence of patients who tested positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans with the real‐time PCR was comparable in both groups (Germans: 27.0%; Koreans: 22.2%). In German patients, the serotypes detected most frequently were b (33.3%), c (25.0%), and a (20.8%), whereas in Korean patients, the serotype distribution was different, with serotypes c (61.9%) and d (19.0%) accounting for >80% of the complete serotype spectrum. Conclusion: Even if the percentage of patients who tested positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans was identical in patients with generalized aggressive and severe chronic periodontitis and different ethnic backgrounds, the distribution of A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes may exhibit marked differences.