Skip Navigation



IJE Advance Access published online on September 22, 2006
International Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/ije/dyl166
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
35/6/1486    most recent
dyl166v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Vilkuna-Rautiainen, T.
Right arrow Articles by Asikainen, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Vilkuna-Rautiainen, T.
Right arrow Articles by Asikainen, S.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association © The Author 2006; all rights reserved.
Accepted July 5, 2006

Original paper

Serum antibody response to periodontal pathogens and herpes simplex virus in relation to classic risk factors of cardiovascular disease

Tiina Vilkuna-Rautiainen 1, Pirkko J. Pussinen 2 *, Merja Roivainen 3, Tuula Petäys 4, Pekka Jousilahti 3, Tapani Hovi 3, Erkki Vartiainen 3, and Sirkka Asikainen 5

1 Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Finland
2 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
3 National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
4 Helsinki University Central Hospital, Division of Allergy, Helsinki, Finland
5 Oral Microbiology, Department of Odontology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Umeå University, Sweden

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Pirkko J. Pussinen, E-mail: pirkko.pussinen{at}helsinki.fi


  Abstract

Background Increasing evidence links chronic infections, especially burden of several infections, with increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We studied joint immune response against two major periodontal pathogens and herpes simplex virus (HSV) in relation to established risk factors of CVD.

Methods Serum antibody levels to HSV, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis were determined by ELISA. The study included 1107 subjects, 734 from Finland and 373 from Russia.

Results Combined antibody response to periodontal pathogens was associated inversely (OR, 95% CI) with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration ({beta} = 0.35; 0.20, 0.60; P < 0.001) and directly with HSV antibody quartiles: compared with the first quartile, ORs (95% CI) for quartiles 2-4 were 1.43 (0.88-2.32), 1.74 (1.07-2.82), and 1.89 (1.18-3.02), respectively (P for trend <0.001), after adjusting for age, gender, area, education, smoking, BMI, alcohol, triglycerides, and number of teeth. In linear regression analysis, the 3-pathogen antibody score (comprising antibody levels against periodontal pathogens and HSV) was inversely associated with HDL cholesterol concentration ({beta} = -0.067/1 mmol/l; -0.235, -0.018; P < 0.05).

Conclusions HSV infection may promote infection by periodontal pathogens. Furthermore, the infectious burden comprising HSV and periodontitis may increase the risk for CVD by clearly decreasing HDL cholesterol concentrations.

Keywords: Periodontal infection; herpes simplex virus; periodontal pathogens; CVD; risk factors; infection burden.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Infect. Immun.Home page
K. Hyvarinen, A. M. Tuomainen, S. Laitinen, I. L. Bykov, L. Tormakangas, K. Lindros, R. Kakela, G. Alfthan, I. Salminen, M. Jauhiainen, et al.
Chlamydial and Periodontal Pathogens Induce Hepatic Inflammation and Fatty Acid Imbalance in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice
Infect. Immun., August 1, 2009; 77(8): 3442 - 3449.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med SciHome page
A. Zajacova, J. B. Dowd, and A. E. Aiello
Socioeconomic and Race/Ethnic Patterns in Persistent Infection Burden Among U.S. Adults
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, February 4, 2009; (2009) gln012v1.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.