Assessment of Epstein-Barr virus, Candida albicans, and some periodontal pathogens in rheumatoid arthritis patients with periodontitis

Tugce Paksoy; Gulbahar Ustaoglu; Murat Tasci; Mehmet Demirci; Ozge Unlu; Mustafa Fatih Yasar

doi:10.14744/nci.2023.58998

Assessment of Epstein-Barr virus, Candida albicans, and some periodontal pathogens in rheumatoid arthritis patients with periodontitis

North Clin Istanb. 2023 Aug 9;10(4):490-500. doi: 10.14744/nci.2023.58998. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Tugce Paksoy¹, Gulbahar Ustaoglu², Murat Tasci³, Mehmet Demirci⁴, Ozge Unlu⁵, Mustafa Fatih Yasar⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Periodontology, Istanbul Atlas University Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul, Turkiye.
² Department of Periodontology, University of Health Sciences, Gulhane Faculty of Dentistry, Ankara, Turkiye.
³ Department of Rheumatology, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Medicine, Bolu, Turkiye.
⁴ Department of Medical Microbiology, Kirklareli University Faculty of Medicine, Kirklareli, Turkiye.
⁵ Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Atlas University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkiye.
⁶ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Medicine, Bolu, Turkiye.

Abstract

Objective: To comparatively investigate the periodontal results and microbial load in subgingival biofilm samples (SBS) in rheumatoid arthritis subjects and healthy volunteers.

Methods: One hundred twenty subjects were classified into different cohorts: healthy (H-C); periodontitis with good systemic health (H-P); rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and good periodontal health (RA-C); and periodontitis with RA (RA-P). The periodontal parameters were recorded, and SBS were collected to determine periodontal pathogens including Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Candida albicans using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results: Subjects that had greater disease course, determined by moderate or high disease activity scores 28 (DAS28), suffered from worse oral health conditions (higher plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, and excessive clinical attachment loss) than those with low DAS28 scores. A higher prevalence of Treponema denticola (T. denticola) was observed in the RA-P group. Cyclic citrullinated peptide was associated with the occurrence of T. denticola and Campylobacter rectus. DAS28 using C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) had a significant association with Capnocytophaga gingivalis and EBV. The duration of the RA disease was associated with the presence of T. denticola.

Conclusion: Subgingival microbial difference could reliably discriminate RA from healthy individuals. Especially, T. denticola and EBV may play a key role in periodontitis associated with RA.

Keywords: DAS28; microbiota; periodontitis; rheumatoid arthritis.