title: The normal flora of the mouths of macropods (Marsupialia: macropodidae).
abstract: From swabs obtained from the mouths of 59 captive macropods and cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi, the most frequent isolates were streptococci and aerobic Gram-negative rods. Other isolates, in order of diminishing frequency, were Gram-positive non-sporulating rods and filaments, staphylococci/micrococci, aerobic Gram-negative cocci, fungi, anaerobic Gram-positive cocci, anaerobic Gram-negative rods and filaments, species of Bacillus and Clostridium, and membranes of the Simonsiellaceae. No anaerobic Gram-negative cocci were isolated, and spirochaetes were seen only in one animal with periodontal pockets. Smears of material from the mouths of 5 wild wallabies showed organisms resembling those found in the captive animals.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D007614:Macropodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000382:microbiology*; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology