The transmission of BANA-positive periodontal bacterial species from caregivers to children.

Background: The purpose of the authors' study was to use the N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-2-naphthy-lamide (BANA) test (BANAMet LLC, Ann Arbor, Mich.) to obtain information regarding the prevalence of an enzyme unique to certain periodontal pathogens in plaque samples of children, as well as the potential transmission of these pathogens from caregivers to children.

Methods: The authors tested 218 subjects (3 to 10 years old) and 195 care-givers at four pediatric dentistry clinics in Taipei, Taiwan.

Results: Forty-four percent of the children had at least one plaque sample that tested positive and/or weakly positive. Positive results were more frequent in the mixed dentition, as well as in children with gingivitis (P < .001). A logistic regression model showed that if the BANA test results for the care-giver were positive, the odds of the child's also having positive test results were 55 times greater (P < .001; confidence interval [CI] = 14 to 224) than those for a child whose caregiver had negative BANA test results. Other predictors were the presence of a mixed dentition (P < .001; odds ratio [OR] = 11; CI = 3.5 to 33.5) and the children's papillary bleeding scores (P < .001, OR = 3.1, CI = 2.0 to 4.7).

Conclusion: The BANA test results were positive for almost one-half of the children. A positive reaction was associated with gingivitis, a mixed dentition, a BANA-positive caregiver or a caregiver with a history of periodontal disease in the family.

Clinical Implications: The authors propose an anaerobic periodontal infection risk model in which children with a mixed dentition who have gingivitis and a caregiver with a history of periodontal disease would undergo the BANA test.