Occurrence and quantification of Anelloviruses and Herpesviruses in gingival tissue in Chinese Shanghai sub-population

Abstract

Background: Herpesviruses and bacteria and their interplay have long been believed to play important roles in the pathogenesis of periodontitis, but other microbial entities in the oral environment might also be involved. Anelloviruses are commonly detected in human, including in oral samples. The aim of the present study was to explore the occurrence and co-occurrence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human anelloviruses (HTTVs) in gingival tissue samples collected from participants recruited in Shanghai, China. Methods: Gingival tissues were collected from 159 participants (57 with aggressive periodontitis (AP), 59 with chronic periodontitis (CP) and 43 with healthy periodontal status). The presence of HCMV, EBV, torque teno virus (TTV), torque teno mini virus (TTMV) and torque teno midi virus (TTMDV) DNA was detected by nested-PCR. The virus loads were quantified by real-time PCR. Results: The detection rates of EBV, TTV, TTMV and TTMDV were significantly higher in the AP and CP groups compared to the healthy group (all P < 0.01). A statistically significant association was found between EBV, TTV and TTMV virus load and periodontitis (all P < 0.05). Participants infected with EBV showed significantly higher infection rates and higher virus loads of TTV and TTMV than the EBV-negative group (all P < 0.05). The coexistence rates of EBV and anelloviruses and the coexistence of three HTTVs were significantly higher in AP and CP groups (all P < 0.01). Conclusions: Collectively, results obtained in this study suggest that HTTVs and the coexistence of EBV and HTTVs in particular, may be associated with periodontitis. Possible mechanisms of the interaction between herpesviruses and anelloviruses in the context of periodontitis require further investigation.

Association between Epstein-Barr virus and periodontitis: A meta-analysis

“…Of the included studies ( Table 1 ), fourteen were from Asia [ 8 , 9 , 22 – 24 , 26 , 29 , 30 , 32 – 34 , 36 , 38 , 39 ], seven from Europe [ 6 , 7 , 20 , 21 , 25 , 28 , 31 ], three from America [ 18 , 19 , 27 ], and two from Africa [ 35 , 37 ]. The sample size varied from 25 [ 19 ] to 219 [ 24 ] patients.…”

“…The mean age in the case groups ranged from 34.4 [ 28 ] to 57.4 [ 8 ] years for chronic periodontitis, from 15.4 [ 35 ] to 40.9 [ 7 ] for aggressive periodontitis and from 15.6 [ 35 ] to 52.9 [ 9 ] years for the control group. The sample type used in most of the studies was subgingival plaque; other studies used gingival tissue [ 7 , 19 , 38 ], and only one study used GCF [ 34 ]. For the sampling method, three studies used a single curette or paper point/filter strip [ 23 , 34 , 37 ], two studies used a combination [ 19 , 25 ], and others used pooled samples.…”

“…For the sampling method, three studies used a single curette or paper point/filter strip [ 23 , 34 , 37 ], two studies used a combination [ 19 , 25 ], and others used pooled samples. Regarding molecular detection methods, twelve studies employed nested PCR [ 6 – 8 , 18 , 19 , 22 – 24 , 26 , 27 , 29 , 38 ], six real-time PCR [ 9 , 25 , 28 , 31 , 36 , 39 ], two multiplex PCR [ 34 , 37 ], five PCR [ 20 , 21 , 30 , 32 , 33 ] and one loop-mediated isothermal amplification [ 35 ].…”

“…Regarding signs of inflammation, some studies recorded bleeding on probing (BOP) [ 8 , 25 – 27 , 36 , 38 ], gingival index (GI) [ 32 , 39 ], or inflammation signs [ 9 , 19 , 21 , 22 , 24 , 36 , 44 ]. Overall, gingival inflammation cannot simultaneously be defined as a case of gingivitis because a patient with a history of periodontitis with gingival inflammation still has periodontitis [ 44 ]; therefore, the control group should be patients with no signs of inflammation or inflammation without a history of periodontitis/periodontal treatment.…”

Detection of Epstein–Barr Virus in Periodontitis: A Review of Methodological Approaches

“…Conventional singleplex PCR was applied to amplify and detect a single target gene of EBV, such as EBNA2 [ 31 ] and LMP2 [ 32 ], while multiplex PCR was used to simultaneously amplify target sequences of several periodontopathic bacteria and herpesviruses [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. Another PCR technique, the nested PCR, was implemented to increase the specificity of EBV DNA amplification and reduce the non-specific amplification by the involvement of two sets of primers (outer and inner pairs) for the same target [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ]. Additionally, the nested PCR is more efficient in detecting low viral loads [ 42 ].…”