An overview of the microbiota of the oral cavity of humans and non-human primates with periodontal disease: Current issues and perspectives

• Published in: Archives of oral biology 2025-04, Vol.172, p.106121, Article 106121
• Main Authors: Miranda, Bruno Pires, da Silva, Amanda Figueira, Ascenção, Júlia de Castro, Santos, Helena Lúcia Carneiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Humans; Microbiota; Oral cavity; Periodontal disease; Primates
• ISSN: 0003-9969; 1879-1506; 1879-1506
• DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2024.106121

To provide a comprehensive summary of the available evidence on the oral microbiota of humans and non-human primates about the etiology of periodontal disease. An integrative literature review was conducted on 398 clinical and observational articles published between 2010 and 2024 using searches in the MEDLINE/PubMed, Virtual Health Library, and SciELO databases. After the screening, eligibility, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment, 21 studies were selected. The results, which reveal striking similarities between the pathogens involved in periodontal disease in humans and NHPs, confirm the potential of NHPs as research models and inspire further research in this area. According to these studies, Actinomyces spp., Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Campylobacter rectus, Capnocytophaga spp., Eubacterium spp., Filifactor alocis, Fusobacterium spp., Leptotrichia spp., Neisseria mucosa, Parvimonas micra, Porphyromonas spp., Prevotella spp., Selenomonas spp., Streptococcus spp., Treponema spp., Tannerella spp., Veillonella parvula, were the genus and/or species of bacteria found in humans. On the other hand, Aggregatibacter acinomycetemcomitans, Campylobacter rectus, Desulfobulbus spp., Dialister invisus, Eikenella corrodens, Filifactor alocis, Fusobacterium spp., Parvimonas micra, Porphyromonas spp., Prevotella spp., Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Treponema spp., Tannerella spp., Veillonella spp., were the most reported in NHPs. No study in non-human primates reported the presence of protozoa, unlike studies in humans that reported the presence of Entamoeba gingivalis and Trichomonas tenax. However, its role in periodontal disease still needs to be elucidated, despite the strong association mainly with severe periodontal disease where protozoa are observed in injured tissues. •Pathogens in human and non-human primates (NHP) periodontal disease are very similar.•This indicates that NHP are excellent research models for this condition.•Entamoeba gingivalis and Trichomonas tenax are linked to human periodontal disease.•There is no research in NHP investigating protozoa involved in the disease.