title: Comparison of Staphylococcal Flora in Denture Plaque and the Surface of the Pharyngeal Mucous Membrane in Kidney Transplant Recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biofilm occurring on removable prostheses is a reservoir of bacterial flora, consisting of both physiological and pathogenic multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Patients undergoing dialysis and organ transplantation are particularly prone to bacterial infections, which can have its source in denture plaque. This study was a comparison of the composition of staphylococcal flora within the surface of the pharyngeal mucous membrane as well as denture plaque in kidney transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 44 subjects with removable prostheses who reported for a kidney transplant procedure. Swab samples were collected from prostheses and the pharyngeal wall. Isolated strains were identified and investigated for drug resistance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 72 strains of Staphylococcus were isolated from the denture plaque and 53 from the pharynx. In the pharynx, the following species prevailed: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus warneri, and Staphylococcus aureus. The following species prevailed in denture plaque: S epidermidis, S aureus, and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. Among the pharyngeal strains, antibiotic resistance most commonly referred to natural penicillin (77%), constitutive macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance (28%), and tetracycline (26.4%). In case of denture plaque, the highest percentage of strains demonstrated resistance to natural penicillin (60%), fosfomycin (32%), and cefoxitin (25%). In 10 subjects (48%), Staphylococcus-induced infections occurred in the first year after transplantation, 5 of which had the same bacterial strain as cultured previously from dentures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The denture biofilm and surface of the pharynx differ in terms of bacterial composition and bacterial drug resistance profiles. Denture plaque constitutes a considerable reservoir of staphylococcal flora, which can be a potential source of infection in organ transplant recipients.
authors: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Majchrzak
authors: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Mierzwinska-Nastalska
authors: Department of General and Transplant Surgery, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Chmura
authors: Department of General and Transplant Surgery, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Kwiatkowski
authors: Department of Immunology, Transplant Medicine, and Internal Diseases, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Paczek
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Mlynarczyk
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: xenia.szymanek@wum.edu.pl.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Szymanek-Majchrzak
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms; D003778:Dentures / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000382:microbiology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents