Humoral antibody responses in periodontal disease

Several forms of periodontal disease are considered to be infectious diseases with associated specific bacteria. This study examined the humoral antibody levels as assayed by ELISA to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Prevotella intermedia in adult periodontitis (AP), localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP), rapidly progressive periodontitis (RPP), and in periodontally healthy subjects (HS). Sixty-two of the 64 (96.9%) patients had significantly elevated antibody levels to at least one of the three organisms. Elevated levels of antibodies to P. gingivalis occurred in 82.8% of the RPP, LJP, and AP patients with all 3 disease groups showing greater responses than HS controls. Antibodies to A. actinomycetemcomitans were found in 59.4% of the RPP, LJP, and AP patients and were significantly higher in both LJP and RPP patients. Only 21.9% of the RPP, LJP, and AP patients showed elevated levels to P. intermedia with only significantly higher levels in the RPP and LJP groups. Antibodies to A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. intermedia were rarely found alone (only 5.1% and 2.6% of the patients respectively) but were usually accompanied by P. gingivalis. These results suggest that one or more combinations of these 3 bacteria may play a role in the pathogenesis of these forms of periodontal disease.