The effect of spiramycin on Porphyromonas gingivalis and other "classic" periopathogens.

In clinical trials, Spiramycin has shown additional benefit overscaling and root planing on pocket depth reduction, but its effect on periodontal microbiota was evaluated only by darkfield microscopy. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of Spiramycin administration on Porphyromonas gingivalis and other periodontopathic bacteria using 16S rARN PCR technique. Thirty two non-smoker adults with untreated periodontitis and pocket depth > or = 7 mm. were evaluated to participate in this randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Clinical measurements were performed on day -15, 15, 30 and 90 from baseline. Subgingival samples were analyzed for detection of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Tannerella forsythia (TJ), Treponema denticola (Td) and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) on days -15, 30 and 90. On day 0, 25 Pg positive subjects were randomly assigned to receive either systemically administered Spiramycinfor 7 days (Test group SP) or identical placebo tablets (Placebo group PL). After Spiramycin administration Pg, Tf and Td were suppressed showingstatistically significant difference (p<0.05) with the Placebo group. None of the groups showed changes in Aa detection. These data indicate that bacteria currently associated with advanced periodontitis (Pg, Tf and Td) are suppressed after 7 days of systemic administration of Spiramycin.