Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy Modulates Oral Microbiome in Primary Immunodeficient ChildrenOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
Primary Immunodeficiencies (PIDs) arise from rare genetic defects affecting humoral and cellular immunity, which can lead to reduced dental plaque control. This study aimed to characterise the subgingival dental plaque microbiome in neutropenic PID children compared to healthy controls and assess their response to non-surgical periodontal therapy.
Who was studied?
Subgingival plaque was collected from three first molars and one first incisor at baseline and 6 months post therapy from children with PID (n = 24) and systematically healthy control participants (n = 24) who were recruited from Great Ormond Street Hospital and Barts Health NHS Trust, respectively. The subgingival microbiome was profiled using an Illumina metabarcoding approach on the bacterial 16S rRNA gene V1-V2 region.
What were the most important findings?
Significant shifts in community structure were observed post therapy, as measured by alpha and beta diversities. An increase in Rothia spp., Neisseria spp. and Actinomyces spp. was noted in PID children post therapy, consistent with clinical improvements. Baseline blood absolute neutrophil counts in PID children were positively associated with Streptococcus cristatus and Gemella spp., and negatively with Saccharibacteria, Capnocytophaga and Porphyromonas spp., highlighting key host-microbial relationships.
What are the greatest implications of this study?
Non-surgical periodontal therapy modulated the subgingival microbiota in neutropenic PID children, revealing novel host-microbial interactions important for the oral microbiome in health.