A sensitive enzymatic method (SK-013) for detection of Treponema denticola, Porphyromonas gingivals and Bacteroides forsythus in subgingival plaque samples.

An enzymatic method, SK-013, was developed for rapid detection of the peptidase activity in subgingival plaque samples. This method was found to have specificity for Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Bacteroides forsythus, and some Capnocytophaga strains. The purpose of this study was to determine whether SK-013 could indicate the presence of periodontopathic bacteria, including T. denticola, P. gingivalis and B. forsythus, which produce trypsin-like enzymes. Subgingival plaque samples were taken from 10 clinically healthy sites and 30 periodontally diseased sites with 3 paper points. SK-013 activity of plaque samples was assayed, and the numbers of T. denticola, P. gingivalis and B. forsythus in the sample were counted by immunofluorescence technique. In diseased sites, the SK-013 activity was significantly correlated with clinical parameters such as Gingival Index, Plaque Index, probing depth and bleeding on probing. A significant correlation was found between the presence of these organisms and SK-013 activity. Correlation coefficients between the presence of T. denticola and SK-013 activity were higher than those with other organisms. These findings indicate that the SK-013 is useful as an indicator of cell population of T. denticola, P. gingivalis and B. forsythus in subgingival plaque.