Microorganism presence in desquamative gingivitis

Area of Science:

• Oral pathology
• Microbiology
• Histopathology

Background:

• Desquamative gingivitis (DG) and benign mucous membrane pemphigoid (BMMP) are chronic oral mucosal conditions.
• The role of microorganisms in the pathogenesis of DG and BMMP remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence and types of microorganisms in histologic tissue samples from patients diagnosed with DG or BMMP.
• To correlate microbial findings with specific tissue locations within the specimens.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 19 tissue samples meeting DG or BMMP diagnostic criteria.
• Histologic staining using hematoxylin and eosin and Brown and Brenn solutions.
• Microscopic examination to identify and characterize bacteria based on Gram stain and morphology.

Main Results:

• Bacteria were detected on the epithelial surface, within the epithelium, subepithelial cleft, and submucosa in varying percentages.
• Gram-negative bacilli were prevalent in the subepithelial cleft (94.7%) and on the epithelial surface (42.1%).
• Gram-positive cocci were common on the epithelial surface (47.4%), while gram-negative cocci predominated in the submucosa (42.1%).

Conclusions:

• Histologic analysis confirms microbial colonization in tissues affected by desquamative gingivitis and benign mucous membrane pemphigoid.
• Specific bacterial types, notably gram-negative bacilli, are frequently found in distinct tissue compartments of DG/BMMP lesions.