Synergistic Roles of Fimbriae and Gingipain Genotypes in Porphyromonas gingivalis and Their Association With Periodontitis Severity

Objective: is a major periodontal pathogen periodontitis, with virulence mediated by fimbriae and gingipains. Differences in virulence may influence disease severity. This study aimed to assess the association and co-occurrence of fimbriae and gingipain genotypes and their relationship with clinical severity in periodontitis. Materials and Methods: load was quantified by real-time PCR. Associations between genotypes and clinical parameters (probing depth and clinical attachment loss) were evaluated using Spearman's correlation and chi-square tests. Binary logistic regression assessed the association between periodontal disease severity and the presence of a combined virulence genotype, reported as odds ratios (ORs). Results: = 0.011). Conclusion: . The findings support the hypothesis that these virulence factors act synergistically to influence disease severity. Clinical Relevance: The integration of microbial virulence profiling with host immune response characterization may improve risk stratification and enable the development of personalized periodontal care strategies. Furthermore, microbial genotypic profiling may support the identification of disease-specific targets, thereby facilitating the implementation of tailored therapeutic interventions for effective periodontitis management.