Studies of the Subgingival Microflora in Patients With Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Two unique forms of periodontal disease, HIV-gingivitis and HIV-periodontitis, have been described in patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). In order to determine the bacterial species associated with periodontitis in AIDS patients, the predominant cultivable microflora was examined in 21 subgingival plaque samples from 11 AIDS patients with periodontitis. The presence of putative periodontal pathogens including Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides intermedias, Porphyromonas gingivalis (formerly B. gingivalis), and Wolinella recta was examined by immunofluorescence in 128 subgingival dental plaque samples from 50 AIDS patients including 32 patients with periodontitis. Of 666 bacterial strains isolated from the 21 subgingival plaque samples, Streptococcus sanguis II was the most frequently recovered species comprising 18.5% of the total number of isolates followed by Lactobacillus acidophilus (12.2%), Porphyromonas gingivalis (12%), Fusobacterium nucleatum (11.4%), Staphyloco...