Salivary levels of Epstein-Barr virus DNA correlate with subgingival levels, not severity of periodontitis

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the presence and quantity of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in the saliva of patients with periodontitis, and investigate the correlation between these factors. Methods: Presence and amounts of viral DNA in saliva and subgingival plaque samples, from healthy and disease sites, of 65 adults diagnosed with chronic periodontitis were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Epstein-Barr virus DNA was detected in saliva of 81.5% (53/65) of patients at a median concentration of 4325 copies ml-1. CMV DNA was detected in saliva of one individual (1.5%) at low copy number. Patients who had EBV in saliva were 10 times more likely to have EBV in subgingival plaque than patients lacking EBV in saliva (odds ratio = 10.1, 95% confidence interval = 2.6-39.5; P = 0.0009). EBV DNA burden in saliva positively correlated with the amounts detected in plaque and with amounts detected in increasing number of affected sites (P < 0.0001). EBV DNA presence and quantity in saliva did not correlate with increasing severity of disease as measured by periodontal indices. Conclusions: Epstein-Barr virus DNA presence and burden in saliva are associated with its presence and burden in subgingival plaque, but presence and burden in saliva does not correlate with periodontal disease severity.