Subgingival microbial profiles of generalized aggressive and chronic periodontal diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to distinguish between generalized aggressive (GAgP) and chronic periodontitis (CP) based on the subgingival microbial profiles predominant in these diseases.

METHODS

Two-hundred and sixty subjects, 75 with GAgP and 185 with CP were recruited. Full-mouth clinical measurements were recorded. Individual subgingival plaque samples were taken from 7 sites per subject and analyzed for the prevalence and levels of 51 species by chequerboard. Differences between groups were examined by the Mann-Whitney test. Associations between bacterial species and GAgP were examined by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Actinomyces gerensceriae, Actinomyces israelli, Eubacterium nodatum and Propionibacterium acnes were detected in significantly greater counts in GAgP, whereas Capnocytophaga ochracea, Fusobacterium periodonticum, Staphylococcus aureus and Veillonella parvula were more predominant in CP patients (adjusted p < 0.001). E. nodatum (at mean levels ≥4 × 10(5)) increased significantly the probability of a subject being diagnosed with GAgP than CP (OR 2.44 [0.96-6.20]), whereas P. gingivalis (OR 0.34 [0.11-0.93]) and T. denticola (OR 0.35 [0.11-0.94]) were associated with CP.

CONCLUSIONS

Very few subgingival species differed in prevalence and/or levels between GAgP and CP in this sample population. In particular, E. nodatum was strongly related to GAgP, whereas P. gingivalis and T. denticola were associated with CP.