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J Clin Microbiol. 1996 Jun; 34(6): 1576–1578.
doi: 10.1128/jcm.34.6.1576-1578.1996
PMCID: PMC229068
PMID: 8735124

Highly toxic clone of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in geographically widespread cases of juvenile periodontitis in adolescents of African origin.

D Haubek, K Poulsen, J Westergaard, G Dahlèn, and M Kilian
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Abstract

The bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans has been implicated in the pathogenesis of juvenile periodontitis as the etiologic agent on the basis of several lines of circumstantial evidence. A matter of extensive debate is whether A. actinomycetemcomitans is an exogenous contagious pathogen or an opportunistic pathogen that resides in the normal oral microflora. Here we show evidence of a single clone of A. actinomycetemcomitans isolated from multiple patients with juvenile periodontitis in members of families of African origin living in geographically widespread areas. The clone is characterized by a 530-bp deletion in the leukotoxin gene operon, resulting in a significantly increased production of leukotoxin.

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Selected References

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