Autoimmunity in Chronic Periodontitis

An autoimmune response in chronic periodontitis was suggested three decades ago by Brandtzaeg and Kraus (1965) but not proven. Since that time many investigators have raised the possibility of autoimmunity in periodontal disease. Serum antibodies reactive with self-antigens have been reported in periodontitis patients; for instance, anti-desmosomal antibodies, and anti-collagen type I antibodies. This book provides original work from the authors findings that have been validated in scientific publications. The research methods have been particularly useful to research workers. The emphasis is a mechanism for the generation of auto-reactive antibodies arising from immunological recognition of shared antigenic determinants in exogenous agents such as the oral microflora. The book is recommended as a reference text to medical and dental students, and to researchers in the field.