RESUMO
Advances in molecular biology have facilitated analyses of the oral microbiome; however, the parasites role is poorly understood. Periodontal disease is a multifactorial process involving complex interactions among microorganisms, the host, and environmental factors. At present, the precise composition of the mouth parasites microbiota is unclear. Two protozoan species have been detected in the oral microbiota: Trichomonas tenax and Entamoeba gingivalis, and a new variant, E. gingivalis-ST2-kamaktli, was recently identified by us. In this study, both E. gingivalis and the new E. gingivalis-ST2-kamaktli variant were detected in the oral cavities of people with healthy periodontium, individuals undergoing orthodontic treatment, and patients with periodontal disease. In the group with healthy periodontium, the prevalence of E. gingivalis-ST1 was 48.6% and that of E. gingivalis-ST2-kamaktli 29.5%, with a combined prevalence of 54.3%. In patients undergoing orthodontics treatment, 81.2% carried both amoebas, with 47.5% having E. gingivalis-ST1 and 73.8% E. gingivalis-ST2-kamaktli. In people with periodontal disease, the prevalence of E. gingivalis-ST1 was 57.8%, and that of E. gingivalis-ST2-kamaktli 50.0%, with a combined prevalence of 73.5%; hence, E. gingivalis-ST1 and E gingivalis-ST2-kamaktli were detected in all three groups. The question arises, what are E. gingivalis-ST1 and E. gingivalis-ST2-kamaktli doing in the oral cavity? Although, the answer remains unclear, our results suggest that each amoeba subtype is genetically distinct, and they exhibit different patterns of infectious behavior. We hypothesize that E. gingivalis-ST1 and E. gingivalis-ST2-kamaktli may represent separate species. Our data contribute to better understanding of the roles of E. gingivalis-ST1 and E. gingivalis-ST2-kamaktli in the oral microbiota.