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Presence of trichomonads in subgingival biofilm of patients with periodontitis: preliminary results

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Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of trichomonads in the subgingival biofilm of patients with periodontitis. Secondarily, the trichomonad presence was related to patient characteristics and periodontal clinical parameters, in order to highlight the factor favoring the development of these protozoans. Subgingival biofilm samples were collected from at least two diseased and one healthy site in 50 patients suffering from periodontitis. Trichomonads were identified using phase contrast microscopy. All patient characteristics and periodontal clinical parameter data were then statistically analyzed. From the 50 patients examined, 195 sites were sampled, including 145 diseased ones. Trichomonads were only observed on 16 of the 145 diseased sites (11%) and none in the other 50 healthy sites. Based on these results, 20% (n = 10) of patients were positive for the presence of trichomonads from at least one of the diseased sites collected. Tooth mobility, substantial supra-gingival dental deposits, and severe clinical attachment loss were statistically associated with trichomonad presence. If the subgingival biofilm of male patients over the age of 50 seemed to be more frequently contaminated with trichomonads, this data was not statistically supported. This preliminary study indicates for the first time that in periodontitis-involved patients, trichomonads are observed in the subgingival biofilm collected from diseased sites with severe bone loss, but not from healthy teeth. Further investigations are needed to fully explore the role of this microorganism in the etiology of periodontal disease.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Brice KABONGO for his help in the examination of patient subgingival biofilms, Louise BOUTELLIEZ for her assistance in formatting the article, and Marie-Pascale HIPPOLYTE for her English language expertise.

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the Conseil Regional du Grand Nancy and from the Colgate Palmolive Company.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Periodontology, University Hospital and University of Lorraine, Nancy, France

    Catherine Bisson, Pierre-Henry Lec & Michel Blique

  2. Laboratory of Stress Immunity Pathogens, EA 7300, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France

    Catherine Bisson & Marie Machouart

  3. Platform Support for Clinical Research, University Hospital of Nancy, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France

    Nathalie Thilly

  4. Laboratory of Parasitology - Mycology, University Hospital of Nancy, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France

    Marie Machouart

Authors
  1. Catherine Bisson
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  2. Pierre-Henry Lec
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  3. Michel Blique
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  4. Nathalie Thilly
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  5. Marie Machouart
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Catherine Bisson.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics

After approval of this study by the NUH Ethics Committee, this clinical trial was then submitted to the clinicaltrials.com website and received the following number: NCT03178838. Patients received an information note for this study and have given permission for the use of their personal clinical and microbiological data.

Additional information

Section Editor: Nawal Hijjawi

Electronic supplementary material

Video 1

Video of sub-gingival biofilm with trichomonad (Phase contrast microscopy, X100). (MP4 179,061 kb)

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Bisson, C., Lec, PH., Blique, M. et al. Presence of trichomonads in subgingival biofilm of patients with periodontitis: preliminary results. Parasitol Res 117, 3767–3774 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-6077-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-6077-2

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