title: Mother-to-child transmission of Streptococcus mutans: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A systematic review was performed with the aim of determining whether there is scientific evidence of the transmission of Streptococcus mutans from mother to child.
  
  
  METHODS
  The eligibility criteria, based on the PECO strategy, were the following: observational human studies whose subjects were mother and child pairs (P) contaminated by S. mutans (E); comparison according to the presence or absence of S. mutans (C); and whether there is transmission (O). The qualitative analysis was performed by assessing the risk of bias of the included studies, while quantitative synthesis was performed through comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (p<0.05).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two reviewers performed the database search of studies published between January 1950 and May 2014. The strategy included observational studies that assessed the vertical transmission of S. mutans from mothers to children through analyzing genetic strains.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was found 166 non-duplicated studies. However, after reviewing the articles in full and applying the eligibility criteria, 36 papers were selected for qualitative analysis and 19 for quantitative analysis. The cumulative meta-analysis demonstrated vertical transmission of S. mutans from mother to child (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated evidence of vertical transmission of S. mutans from mother to child because there was an association between S. mutans n mothers and their respective children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge of the S. mutans strains is important because the virulence of the microorganisms is varied; also, the virulence affects the dental caries evolution rate, being more or less aggressive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valeria de Abreu
authors.initials: Vde A
authors.lastname: da Silva Bastos
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Liana Bastos
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Freitas-Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiana Kelly da Silva
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Fidalgo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Clinics, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudia Trindade
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Mattos
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: pomarico@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ivete Pomarico Ribeiro
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucianne Cople
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Maia
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D017594:Publication Bias; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012306:Risk; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Child; Mother; Streptococcus mutans; Systematic review; Transmission