The varied proportion of filifactor alocis in periodontal health and disease in the South Indian subpopulation

• Published in: Contemporary clinical dentistry Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 433 - 438
• Main Authors: Neelakandan, Anila, Potluri, Ravishankar, Yadalam, Pradeep, Chakraborty, Priyankar, Saravanan, A, Arunraj, Rex
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.10.2021; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Wolters Kluwer - Medknow; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Bacteria; chronic periodontitis; filifactor alocis; Geographical variations; Gram-positive bacteria; Gum disease; Identification and classification; microbial load; Microbiology; Microbiomes; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Mouth; Original; Periodontal diseases; Periodontitis; Physiological aspects; Polymerase chain reaction; real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Risk factors; Statistical analysis; India; real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; microbial load; Filifactor alocis; Chronic periodontitis
• ISSN: 0976-237X; 0976-2361
• DOI: 10.4103/ccd.ccd_803_20

Background and Aim: The periodontal microbiome being complex, this study was aimed to detect and quantify the prevalence of Filifactor alocis in various stages of periodontitis and to evaluate its prospect as a diagnostic marker for periodontal disease. Settings and Design: Sixty subjects were selected (20 healthy controls, 20 with chronic periodontitis, and 20 with aggressive periodontitis) for the study. Materials and Methods: Clinical parameters probing depth and the level of clinical attachment was recorded, subgingival plaque samples were collected. The F. alocis 16srDNA was cloned, sequenced, and used as the standard for real-time quantification of bacterial load using SYBR green chemistry. Statistical Analysis: Clinical, microbiological, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) data were analyzed using ANOVA and Pearson's coefficient correlation. Results: (a) Real-time PCR analysis showed the highest average F. alocis count in chronic periodontitis subjects (32,409.85), which was followed by count in healthy controls (3046.15) and the least count in aggressive periodontitis subjects (939.84). The bacterial count was statistically significant at P = 0.005. (b) An intra-group comparison reveals that there was a statistically significant increase in the bacterial count with age and mean probing pocket depth at P = 0.0005. Conclusion: F. alocis population in aggressive periodontitis was lower compared to chronic periodontitis and healthy controls. The F. alocis population surge in healthy controls may be due to geographical variations and the ethnicity of the subjects. A higher population of F. alocis in chronic periodontitis proves its high pathogenic potential to invade the host tissues to aid in further periodontal destruction.