Comparison of three qPCR-based commercial tests for detection of periodontal pathogens

Fridus Van Der Weijden,Mirella Rijnen,Cees Valkenburg

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-85305-3

Abstract

In periodontal practice microbial results of periodontal test kits for identification of key pathogens are an aid in the treatment planning. Information on the performance of commercially available test kits is therefore essential for the clinician. In this retrospective analysis three commercially available qPCR kits for detection and quantification of selected periodontal bacterial species were compared, using 100 clinical samples from patients with untreated periodontitis. The analysis involved two separate comparisons in which kit A (LabOral Diagnostics, The Netherlands) was compared with kit B (Advanced Dental Diagnostics, The Netherlands), and with kit C (OralDent diagnostics, The Netherlands). Analytic procedures for detection and quantification of selected periodontal bacterial species were carried out according to the instructions of the laboratories. Kit A detected target species more often, and absolute numbers of bacterial cells were higher than with kit B. A high degree of similarity was found between the test outcomes by kit A and kit C. All three kits performed satisfactory but small and significant differences exist between kits.

Highlights

In periodontal practice microbial results of periodontal test kits for identification of key pathogens are an aid in the treatment planning
Special attention has been paid to periodontal infections associated with A. actinomycetemcomitans, a species that has been implicated in periodontitis formerly classified as localized and generalized aggressive, and in refractory p eriodontitis19,20
Treatment of periodontitis is based on reduction of the total periodontal bacterial load, which is achieved by mechanical supra- and subgingival debridement

Summary

Introduction

In periodontal practice microbial results of periodontal test kits for identification of key pathogens are an aid in the treatment planning. Information on the performance of commercially available test kits is essential for the clinician In this retrospective analysis three commercially available qPCR kits for detection and quantification of selected periodontal bacterial species were compared, using 100 clinical samples from patients with untreated periodontitis. Open debridement can be achieved by periodontal surgery that provides direct access to the root for biofilm removal This therapy fails when periodontal attachment loss continues after treatment, or recurs after periods of remission. The choice for systemic antimicrobial therapy is often based on clinical parameters but the use of microbiological diagnosis for decision making and choice of antibiotics has long been a dvocated25,27,28 This is based on the notion that differences in bacterial composition of the subgingival biofilm may require different treatment approaches, including the choice of adjuvant antibiotic therapy. Comparison of three different qPCR test kits and using mock bacterial communities revealed significant differences between the r esults

Methods

Results

Conclusion