Differences In The Periodontal Microbiome Of Successfully Treated And Persistent Aggressive Periodontitis

Aims The primary aim of this investigation was to analyse the periodontal microbiome in patients with aggressive periodontitis (AgP) following treatment. Methods Sixty-six AgP patients were recalled on average 7 years after completion of active periodontal treatment and had subgingival plaque samples collected and processed for 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses. Results Of 66 participants, 52 showed persistent periodontal disease, while 13 participants were considered as "successfully treated AgP" (no probing pocket depths >4 mm) and 1 was fully edentulous. Genera associated with persistent generalized disease includedActinomyces,Alloprevotella, Capnocytophaga, Filifactor, Fretibacterium, Fusobacterium, Leptotrichia, Mogibacterium, Saccharibacteria [G-1], Selenomonas and Treponema. "Successfully treated" patients harboured higher proportions ofHaemophilus, Rothia, and Lautropiaand ofCorynebacterium, StreptococcusandPeptidiphagagenera. Overall, patients with persistent generalized AgP (GAgP) revealed higher alpha diversity compared to persistent localized AgP (LAgP) and stable patients (p < .001). Beta diversity analyses revealed significant differences only between stable and persistent GAgP groups (p = .004). Conclusion Patients with persistent AgP showed a more dysbiotic subgingival biofilm than those who have been successfully treated. It remains to be established whether such differences were predisposing to disease activity or were a result of a dysbiotic change associated with disease recurrence in the presence of sub-standard supportive periodontal therapy or other patient-related factors.