Reaction of human sera from juvenile periodontitis, rapidly progressive periodontitis, and adult periodontitis patients with selected periodontopathogens.

The levels of serum antibody reactive to selected periodontopathogens were determined in 182 clinically characterized patients: 35 healthy control, 50 juvenile periodontitis, 42 adult periodontitis and 55 rapidly progressive periodontitis. Reactive antibody levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with whole cell preparations of Bacteroides gingivalis, Capnocytophaga (Bacteroides) ochraceus, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Y-4) serving as antigens. Increased reactivity to B. gingivalis and F. nucleatum was observed in all three disease groups studied while antibody reactive to A. actinomycetemcomitans was increased in juvenile and rapidly progressive periodontitis. Antibody levels reactive to C. ochraceus in healthy subjects did not differ from those observed in any disease patient groups. Possible implications in the etiology and progression of the diseases coupled with environmental changes which occur in the econiche of the periodontal pocket are described.