The researchers revealed that chronic inflammation erodes the bony structure in the gum leading to a periodontal disease which poses not only a threat to teeth, but the entire body.
Kuniyasu Ochiai, of the Microbiology Department at Tokyo-based Nihon University, and his research team stated that the bacteria “Produce a large amount of butyric acid, which smells like socks you wore for a long time.”
The acid, which can also exist in rancid butter, hinders a kind of enzyme called HDAC that blocks HIVdefine from proliferating. The research team used in-vitro experiments to show that the virus in two kinds of cells related to the immune system
define rapidly thrives after given culture fluid containing gum disease-causing bacteria.
Ochiai said, "Serious periodontal disease could lead to the development (of AIDS) among HIV-positive people... although the probability largely depends on individual physical strength. Adult periodontitis is a chronic destructive disease involving host inflammatory responses to Gram-negative bacteria.”
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that supports the teeth. The disease attacks just below the gum line where it causes the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissues break down.
Severe periodontal infection is caused by the combination of certain periodontopathogens, including butyric acid, which produces bacterial fermentation of dietary fibers in the colondefine.
Stressing on the need of oral hygiene Ochiai declared, "There are fears that even those who were unaware that they had contracted HIV could develop the epidemic once they have periodontal disease."
There is enough evidence linking gum disease and diabetes, but this is the first study to find that it activates HIV.
Ochiai, Takashi Okamoto, molecular biology professor at Nagoya City University in central Japan and research assistant Kenichi Imai plan to conduct the test on animals as well.
The research is published in the March issue of the Journal of Immunologydefine.
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