Bakterielle besiedlung der atheromatösen plaques. Parodontitis und arteriosklerose

The present study examined 93 atheromas from 62 German subjects including 18 women and 44 men between the ages of 43 and 89 years. Atheromas obtained during surgery were examined for bacterial 16S rDNA and - using specific oligonucleotide primers for bacterial 165 ribosomal RNA - for the periodontal pathogens A. actinomycetemcomitans, B. forsythus, P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, and C. rectus, respectively. Of the 93 endarterectomy specimens, 76.34% were positive for bacterial 16S rDNA, and 40.86% were positive for at least one of the target periodontal pathogens. Periodontal pathogens occurred in specimens together with other bacteria with only one exception. C. pneumoniae were detected in 22.58% of the specimens; there was a significant correlation with the occurrence of periodontal pathogens. Herpes simplex and cytomegaloviruses were present in 24.73% or 30.11% of the specimens, respectively, without a link to periodontal pathogens. This study is consistent with the hypothesis that oral infection plays a role in atherogenesis.