The efficacy of bacteriophage/probiotic combination therapy in periodontal treatment

Abstract

Relevance. Periodontal inflammations result from chronic, persistent infections triggered by dysbiosis-induced shifts within the microbial community. The high prevalence, multifactorial nature and challenging management of periodontal disease create an environment ripe for ongoing advancements in treatment modalities.Study objective: To validate, using clinical and laboratory test data, the efficacy of combined treatment involving bacteriophages and probiotics in managing chronic periodontitis.Materials and methods. A total of 100 patients aged 18 to 45 with periodontal inflammation underwent clinical laboratory examinations before receiving combination treatment. The patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 received conventional treatment based on clinical recommendations, while Group 2 received sequential treatment with a bacteriophage cocktail (targeting 81 phages against A. actinomycetemcomitans, B. licheniformis, B. fragilis, E. cloacae, E. faecalis, K. pneumonia, S. aureus, S. pyogenes, Wolinella spp. among others) followed by a probiotic containing S. Salivarius. Periodontal pocket lavages served as study material. Periodontal pathogens were isolated using real-time PCR, and proinflammatory cytokines were identified via enzyme immunoassay. Statistical analysis was conducted using STATA v.12 software.Results. Following bacteriophage/probiotic combination treatment, positive changes in study indices and a reduction in periodontopathogenic microbiota were observed. Significant decreases were noted in the levels of key periodontal pathogens: P. gingivalis (5.2-fold decrease, p < 0.001), P. intermedia (3.6-fold decrease, p < 0.001; T. forsythia (3.8-fold decrease, p = 0.905), T. denticola 4-fold decrease, p < 0.001. Levels of IL1-β decreased by factors of 4.29 (p < 0.001) and 8.59 (p = 0.02) in severity subgroups, while IL6 levels decreased by factors of 4.39 (p < 0.001) and 5.94 (p = 0.0002). The lowest TNF-α levels (2.13 in mild CGP subgroup and 2.11 in moderate CGP subgroup) were observed post-treatment (p < 0.001; p = 0.0005).Conclusion. The combination treatment involving the selected drugs exhibited notable therapeutic effectiveness in the management of chronic periodontitis. This approach not only avoided the necessity for systemic antibacterial agents but also facilitated prolonged remission by eradicating periodontopathogenic microbiota in patients with chronic periodontitis. The etiopathogenetic nature of this treatment represents a promising paradigm in the management of periodontal inflammation.