Molecular identification of periodontal pathogens in Pit Bulls

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and diversity of pathogenic bacteria associated with periodontal disease in Pit Bulls. This medium-large breed is frequently in close contact with humans. Dental plaque and subgingival swab samples were obtained from 90 dogs (40 males and 50 females) with periodontitis detected during routine veterinary clinic examinations in the Western Aegean region of Türkiye. Bacterial cells cultivated on agar plates were then subjected to PCR to amplify 16S rRNA genes, and 80 out of 90 samples (89%) were evaluated as positive. The positive samples were analysed for the presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Porphyromonas gulae, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, Capnocytophaga ochracea, Capnocytophaga sputigena, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, Campylobacter rectus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Eikenella corrodens. The most common species were P. gingivalis (98%), P. gulae and P. intermedia (60%). T. denticola (1.25%) and C. rectus (1.25%) were less commonly detected. It was observed that gender did not significantly affect the presence of bacteria. Notably, polymicrobial infections were present in 68% of positive cases, highlighting the complex microbial ecology of canine periodontitis. These findings highlight the clinical importance of periodontal pathogens in dogs and their potential zoonotic implications. The results emphasise the need for an integrated veterinary and medical approach to improve our understanding of the microbiological interactions between companion animals and humans, particularly systemic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders.