[A latex agglutination test for the rapid identification of periodontally pathogenic microorganisms in subgingival plaque. The preliminary results].

Latex agglutination tests (LA) have been evaluated for identifying periodontal pathogens. This preliminary study compared LA tests with indirect immunofluorescence (IF) for the rapid identification of A. actinomycetemcomitans, B. gingivalis, and B. intermedius in clinical subgingival plaque samples. A total of 58 sites from 12 patients suffering from advanced periodontitis, exhibiting recent attachment loss were examined before and after initial periodontal treatment. The results of the two examinations were pooled and a total of 116 sites were statistically evaluated. The overall agreement between LA and IF was 75.8% for black pigmented Bacteroides (BPB) and 74.1% for Aa. These results demonstrate the feasibility of LA as a rapid, inexpensive, and reliable tool for monitoring periodontal disease offered to the general practitioner.