HUMORAL IMMUNE RESPONSE TO PORPHYROMONAS GINGIVALIS IN POSTPARTUM WOMEN AND NEWBORNS

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis ( Pg ) the in subgingival biofilm, as well as to compare the immune responses of postpartum women and their newborns to Porphyromonas gingivalis using antibody serum levels. Methods: A total of 43 postpartum women and 24 newborns were selected in the municipal maternity hospital of Alagoinhas, Bahia, Brazil between February and December 2003, for this cross-sectional study. The presence of Pg was verified using polymerase chain reaction. The immunoglobulin serum levels: IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4 and IgA, reactive to Pg ATCC33277, were tested using ELISA.  Results: 39,3% of the postpartum women biofilm samples were positive for Pg. The incidence of the pathogen in the women with periodontitis (70%) was higher than in the group of women without periodontitis (30,30%). Among the newborns, high serum levels of IgG4 anti-Pg were observed (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our findings confirm that postpartum women with periodontitis present remarkable incidence of Porphyromonas gingivalis which may influence systemic response, as represented by high levels of serum antibody levels against this pathogen in women and newborns. Furthermore, evidence suggests that some antibodies crossed the placental barrier in newborns.