Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and clinical periodontal status in Finnish juvenile periodontitis patients.

The relationship between the clinical periodontal status and the occurrence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.) in 19 Finnish patients with localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP) was studied. Clinical examination included the Plaque Index, Gingival Index, suppuration, probing depth and bleeding on probing. The subgingival bacterial samples were taken from two diseases periodontal pockets with radiographic bone loss and two periodontal pockets exhibiting no radiographic alveolar bone loss. The results indicate that A.a. was isolated in 17 (89%) patients, in 68% of the diseased and in 32% of the control periodontal sites. Supragingival plaque, marginal gingival inflammation, gingival bleeding on probing, and suppuration were found as frequently in A.a.-positive as in A.a.-negative diseased LJP pockets. It was concluded that A.a. was frequently, but not always, detected in diseased LJP lesions. No association was found between the clinical status and the occurrence of A.a.