Abstract

BETANCOURTH, Marisol et al. Unusual microorganisms in gingival sulcus and periodontal pockets. Colomb. Med. [online]. 2006, vol.37, n.1, pp.6-14. ISSN 1657-9534.

Introduction: Microorganisms of the Enterobacteriaceae family, non-fermentative Gram negative rods and species of Candida (yeast) have been considered as unusual microorganisms in patients with periodontitis, where antimicrobial and mechanical treatment have been often ineffective to solve or control the disease progression. Objectives: To analyze the microbiological profiles in periodontally healthy individuals, and in chronic and aggressive periodontitis patients; to determine the frequency of detection of unusual microorganisms and the possible associations with some periodontopathic bacteria in an oral microbiology laboratory database in Cali. Material and methods: Microbiological reports of 356 patients were analyzed in a period of 41 months. The variables were periodontal diagnosis, total colony counts, percentage of isolation of ten periodontal bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae spp; non-fermentative Gram negative rods and yeasts were also included in the analyses. Results: Reports of 202 (56.7%) patients with chronic periodontitis, 139 (39.1%) of patients with aggressive periodontitis and 15 (4.2%) of periodontally healthy individuals were found. The presence of unusual microorganisms of the Enterobacteriaceae family was 36% and the prevalence of yeast was 7% in the periodontitis patients. Among the three clinical diagnoses no significant differences were found with respect to the presence of enteric organism and yeasts. The greatest prevalence of enteric organisms belonged to Klebsiella spp, Enterobacter and non-fermentative Gram negative rods. Significant associations were found between the presence and absence of unusual microorganisms related to Actinobacillus. actinomycetemcomitans. Discussion and conclusions: The unusual microbiota in these patients was conformed mostly by Gram negative enteric rods. These microorganisms are characterized by being opportunistic species for humans. More studies are required to establish the role of these unusual microorganisms in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.

Keywords : Unusual microorganisms; Periodontal pathogens; Subgingival microbiota; Chronic periodontitis; Aggressive periodontitis.

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