Comparative antibody titers to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in juvenile periodontitis, chronic periodontitis and periodontally healthy subjects

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Abstract
Circulating antibody levels to 4 strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) were determined by means of an indirect immunofluorescent technique in 3 groups of 21 human subjects each, including 1 with juvenile periodontitis (JP), 1 with chronic periodonititis (CP) and 1 free of periodontal disease (N). Mean levels of antibody to Aa wefe significantly elevated in the JP group as compared to the CP and N groups with respect to strains Y4, 29522 and 29524, but not strain 29523. Since strains Y4, 29522 and 29524 contain a leukotoxin that is missing from strain 29523, the result suggest that the leukotoxin could account for the difference in the immune response among the 3 groups of subjects. Varying the end-point considered to represent positive fluorescence did not significantly affect the results, although discrimination among the 3 groups appeared to be somewhat better at lower intensities of fluorescence. Because of wide variations in antibody titers recorded in individual subjects, elevated levels of antibody to certain strains of Aa may not be useful as a primary diagnostic test for JP, but may be of value in confirming an otherwise uncertain clinical diagnosis.

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