A retrospective study on the microbiology in patients with oral complaints and oral mucosal lesions.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to microbiologically analyze oral mucosal samples collected during 2 years from patients with oral mucosal complaints.


METHODS
Mucosal scraping samples were taken from 297 patients and semiquantified by culture for detection of opportunistic microorganisms e.g. Staphylococcus aureus, enterococci, aerobic Gram-negative bacilli (AGNB) and yeasts. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed.


RESULTS
Altogether 297 patients were sampled (mean age 56.8 +/- 20.7). Among the 110 patients with known medical condition, 48 were systemically immunocompromised, 35 had systemic diseases, and 27 had only local oral complaints. Opportunists in moderate growth or more were present commonly in all three groups and most frequent in the immunocompromised patients (66.7%). Candida species were the most frequent opportunist (68.8%), however, their level was low and combinations with bacterial opportunists were common (39.6%). All bacterial opportunists tested were antibiotic multiresistant. Follow-up samples were collected in 23 cases out of which seven showed still presence of opportunists in heavy growth despite repeated treatment with ciprofloxacin.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed a frequent presence of bacterial and fungal opportunists in patients with oral mucosal complaints, which were most common in immunocompromised individuals, however, also frequent in patients with local oral complaints only. Systematic evaluation of different treatment strategies is needed.
Dahlén
G
G
Department of Oral Microbiology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. dahlen@odontologi.gu.se
Blomquist
S
S
Carlén
A
A
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000382:microbiology; D004194:Disease; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D034363:Viridans Streptococci / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents