Molecular detection of <i>Bacteroides forsythus</i> in human periodontitis

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Abstract

<jats:p>The usefulness of a digoxigenin‐labeled genomic DNA probe for the detection of subgingival <jats:italic>Bacteroides forsythus</jats:italic> was examined. In addition, the arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP‐PCR) was used to delineate the genetic diversity of <jats:italic>B. forsythus</jats:italic> periodontal isolates. The DNA probe detected 10<jats:sup>3</jats:sup><jats:italic>B. forsvthus</jats:italic> cells and yielded a strong signal at 10<jats:sup>4</jats:sup> cells. It reacted with <jats:italic>B. forsythus</jats:italic> ATCC 43037<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> and 44 clinical isolates and showed no detectable reactivity with 75 strains of 24 other oral microbial species. In comparison to culture, the DNA probe in a dot‐blot method demonstrated a sensitivity of 88.8% and a specificity of 38.4% (accuracy, 72.5%). By colony‐blotting on primary plates, a sensitivity of 98.1% and a specificity of 53.8% (accuracy, 82.5%i) were obtained. <jats:italic>B. forsythus</jats:italic> was detected in 449 (73.1%) of 614 periodontitis patients. The occurrence of the organism was closely associated with <jats:italic>Porphyromonas gingivalis</jats:italic>, both species being present in 54.8%. and absent in 22.2%, of 270 study samples. AP‐PCR identified 24 <jats:italic>B. forsythus</jats:italic> genotypes among 27 test strains. This study demonstrated the utility of a non‐radioactive genomic probe for direct detection of <jats:italic>B. forsvthus</jats:italic> in subgingival specimens. The species showed a considerable degree of genetic diversity. DNA analysis may help to determine the role of <jats:italic>B. forsythus</jats:italic> in periodontal disease and its mode of transmission among exposed individuals.</jats:p>

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