The purpose of this investigation was to assess the salivary levels of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in patients with periodontitis using real-time PCR. EBV was detected in 16 out of 33 (48.5%) periodontitis patients and in 3 out of 20(15%) healthy subjects. The baseline mean values for bleeding on probing in EBV-positive patients were significantly higher than those in EBV-negative patients. A significant decrease in EBV levels was observed after initial periodontal treatment. Our findings indicate that levels of EBV in saliva may reflect the status of periodontal inflammation.

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship-between Porphyromonas gingivalis, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and reactivation in periodontitis using real-time PCR. The mean proportion of P. gingivalis cells to total bacterial cells in the saliva from EBV-positive periodontitis patients was significantly higher than that in saliva from EBV-negative patients. An EBV-positive B-cell line was used to determine whether P. gingivalis sonicate induced reactivation of EBV, using real-time PCR to measure the virus genome in the culture medium. A significant increase in EBV numbers was observed after the stimulation with P. gingivalis sonicate. These findings suggest that the interaction between EBV and P. gingivalis is bi-directional, with EBV reactivation suppressing host defenses and permitting overgrowth of P. gingivalis, and P. gingivalis having the potential to induce EBV reactivation.

An improved test paper strip coated with anti-human hemoglobin monoclonal antibodytogether with an oral rinse sample for immunological detection of salivary occult blood (improved immunological method: TIM) was used in a trial screening test for periodontal disease, and clinically evaluated in comparison with a commercially available conventional test paper using the peroxidase method (PM) .The subjects were 103 healthy adults (76 men and 27 women ranging in age between 35 and 55 years ; average 43.2 years) .Prior to periodontal examination for probing depth (PD) and bleeding on probing (BOP) , oral rinse samples (3 m/ of water, 10-s rinse) and non-stimulated saliva were collected to detect the presence of blood by the IIM test and the PM test, respectively.According to the IIM test, 47 samples were positive, 9 were weakly positive, and 47 were negative.In the PM test, 57 were positive, 28 were weakly positive, and 18were negative. Subjects having over 20% BOP and/or having exceeding 6 mm PD at oneor more sites were defined as having periodontal disease.The results of the IIM and PM test findingswere analyzed with clinical parameters using gold standard analysis. In the IIM test, sensitivity was 90.9%, specificity was 87.5%, positive predictive value was 89.3%, and negative predictive value was 89.4%. In the PM test, on the other hand, the corresponding values were 94.5%, 31.3%, 61.2%, and 83.3%, respectively. Therefore, the IIM test was considered to be useful as a novel screening method for periodontal disease.

These results indicate that IGFBP-2 is a potential novel marker for periodontal disease progression. As IGFBP-2 modulates bone metabolism and cell migration, IGFBP-2 in the gingival crevicular fluid may reflect periodontal disease activity.

No abstract