Systemic Antibody Response of Clinically Characterized Patients with Antigens of Eubacterium brachy Initially and Following Periodontal Therapy

Abstract

Eubacterium brachy, A GRAM-POSITIVE ANAEROBIC ROD, has been implicated by cultural studies to be associated with the microflora of periodontal diseases. Serum samples from 184 clinically characterized patients were evaluated in a standardized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for reactivity to E. brachy antigens. Sera from clinically healthy subjects (HS) served as controls. Sera from rapidly progressive periodontitis (RP) patients demonstrated significantly greater reactivity by ELISA than did HS when reactivity with E. brachy antigens was determined (P < 0.05). Juvenile periodontitis (JP) and adult periodontitis (AP) patients did not differ in reactivity by ELISA from HS (P > 0.05). Three to 4 years following successful periodontal therapy, reactivity was not significantly altered in any patient group (P > 0.05). The possible significance of these findings and the importance of an extracellular antigen of E. brachy in the immunopathology of periodontal diseases are discussed.