VIRUSES: BYSTANDERS FOR THE PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Research during past 15 years has implied that herpes viruses are involved in the etiopathogeny of periodontal disease. Because of the high copy counts of Epstein–Barr virus and cytomegalovirus in aggressive and chronic periodontitis, it is unlikely that these pathogenic viruses are acting merely as innocuous bystanders present in proportion to the severity of the underlying periodontal pathosis. However, herpes viruses are probably not stand-alone periodontopathic agents. The purpose of this review is to evaluate evidence supporting the hypothesis that viral infection plays a role in development of periodontitis.