METHOD AND PRODUCT FOR DIAGNOSIS OF COLLAGEN TISSUE DESTRUCTIVE DISEASES SUCH AS PERIODONTITIS

摘要

A method and product for the diagnosis of collagen tissue destructive diseases, such as periodontitis. A method includes collecting a sample of extracellular fluid from a potentially diseased site of a mammal. It is ascertained whether an amount of collagen-destructive enzyme in an active form is present in the sample in excess of a pre-determined threshold amount, such pressence indicating the likely diseased condition of the site. The enzyme may be active gelatinase or active collagenase. Examples involving periodontitis and the use of a mouth rinse for collecting the sample are given. A capsule, being of collagen (or gelatin) is described. The capsule contains a colored substance and a wall of such thickness that when the capsule is exposed to a sample containing active collagenase (or active gelatinase) exceeding the threshold amount, degradation of the wall occurs to relase the dye from the capsule to indicate the presence of the disease at the site from which the sample was collected.