Association of Viruses in Chronic Periodontitis - Fact or Hype ???

Periodontal disease is a microbial infection involving a variety of microbes that trigger inflammation, loss of connective tissue attachment and alveolar bone around the teeth. The primary etiologic factor of periodontitis is bacterial plaque. The bacteria involved are largely gram negative species that express pathogenic factors that elicit host defence responses resulting in inflammation and tissue destruction. In fact the propensity of periodontitis to proceed with periods of exacerbation and remission could suggest that the presence of other organisms contributes to the disease.Non bacterial microorganisms that are found in plaque include viruses, mycoplasma, yeasts and protozoa. The development of human periodontitis may depend upon cooperative interactions among herpes viruses, specific pathogenic bacteria and tissue destructive inflammatory mediators.