Oral Dysbiosis and Resulting Bacteremia Are Associated with Aortic Valve Diseases

Involvement of oral bacteria in the pathogenesis of distant organs has been shown. However, only a few reports have directly proven the involvement of oral bacteria in distant organ diseases. We attempted to analyze the hierarchy of bacterial species in the resected aortic valve by 16S metagenomic analysis and directly comparing their gene sequences with those in the oral cavity. Thirty-two patients with aortic stenosis or aortic regurgitation who underwent aortic valve replacement were enrolled in this study. Antibody titer against periodontal pathogenic bacteria in the patient’s serum was analyzed. The genetic background and hierarchy of bacterial species on the subgingival plaque, the tongue dorsal surface, and the resected aortic valve was analyzed. Most patients with aortic valve disease have severe periodontal disease and show oral dysbiosis. Patients with aortic valve disease were shown to have more severe periodontal disease by the detection of antibodies against Socranscky’s red-complex bacteria of periodontitis. Bacterial sequences of the aortic valve were sometimes identical to those of the oral cavity. The findings indicate that bacteria detected in the aortic valve may be infected through oral dysbiosis. Oral dysbiosis and the resulting bacteremia may be associated with the onset or progression of aortic valve disease.