Disturbance in the oropharyngeal microbiota in relation to antibiotic and proton pump inhibitor medication and length of hospital stay

Molecular Genetic Analysis of Perioperative Colonization by Infection-Related Microorganisms in Patients Receiving Intraoral Microvascular Grafts

Background/Objectives: In oral and maxillofacial surgery, the reconstruction of defects often involves the transfer of skin tissue into the oral cavity utilizing microvascular grafts. This study investigates postoperative changes in microbial colonization following intraoral microvascular transplantation, as well as potential influencing factors. Methods: In 37 patients undergoing intraoral reconstructions, pre- and postoperative swabs were taken from the donor and recipient regions to quantify the seven selected marker bacteria using TaqMan PCRs. Patient-specific factors and clinical data were also recorded. Results: The infection-associated Acinetobacter baumannii tended to decrease postoperatively, while the infectious pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and the family of Enterobacteriaceae showed a postoperative increase without being directly associated with a clinical infection. Streptococcus mitis showed a significant postoperative decrease on buccal mucosa and increase on the graft surface (oral dysbiosis) and was significantly reduced or displaced by other bacteria (e.g., Mycoplasma salivarium, positive selection) when treated with ampicillin/sulbactam. Conclusions: The cutaneous microbiome of the graft adapts to the local intraoral environment. Postoperative shifts in oral bacterial colonization and an increase in infection-relevant bacteria were observed. These perioperative changes in colonization are also influenced by the administration of ampicillin/sulbactam. Consequently, single doses of antibiotics appear to be more beneficial compared to longer-term preventive use.

Revisiting Oral Antiseptics, Microorganism Targets and Effectiveness

A good oral health status is mostly dependent on good oral hygiene habits, which knowingly impacts systemic health. Although controversial, chemical oral antiseptics can be useful in adjunct use to mechanical dental plaque control techniques in the prevention and management of local and overall health and well-being. This review aims to revisit, gather and update evidence-based clinical indications for the use of the most popular oral antiseptics, considering different types, microorganism targets and effectiveness in order to establish updated clinical recommendations.

Comprehensive Approaches to Aspiration Pneumonia and Dysphagia in the Elderly on the Disease Time-Axis

Pneumonia in the elderly has been increasing on an annual basis. To a greater or lesser extent, aspiration is a major contributor to the development of pneumonia in the elderly. Antimicrobials alone are not sufficient for the treatment of pneumonia, and the condition may become intractable or even recur repeatedly. In addition, some patients with pneumonia may have no problems with eating, while others are unable to receive the necessary nutrition due to severe dysphagia. It has recently been found that pneumonia decreases both the muscle mass and strength of the swallowing and respiratory muscles, a condition named pneumonia-associated sarcopenia. This contributes to a pathophysiological time-axis of aspiration pneumonia and dysphagia in the elderly, in which silent aspiration leads to the development of pneumonia, and further to dysphagia, malnutrition, and low immunity. Therefore, it is recommended that the treatment and prevention of developing pneumonia should also differ according to an individual’s placement in the disease time-axis. In particular, approaches for preventing aspiration based on scientific findings are able to be implemented at home.

Disturbance in the oropharyngeal microbiota in relation to antibiotic and proton pump inhibitor medication and length of hospital stay

The aim of this study was to investigate the appearance of a disturbed oropharyngeal microbiota during hospitalization and explore the patient characteristics that maybe associated with such a disturbance. Oropharyngeal swabs were collected from 134 patients at hospital admission and every 3-4 days thereafter. The samples were cultivated to determine the presence of a disturbed microbiota, which, in turn, was subcategorized into respiratory tract pathogens, gut microbiota and yeast species. Demographics, medical history data and hospitalization events were compared. The percentage of disturbed oropharyngeal microbiota increased significantly with length of stay (LOS). Receiving antibiotic treatment during the hospitalization tended to be associated with a disturbed microbiota (OR 2.75 [0.99-7.60]). Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication and receiving antibiotics before hospitalization were associated with the development of a disturbed oropharyngeal microbiota with colonization of gut pathogens (OR 3.49 [1.19-10.2] and OR 4.52 [1.13-18.1], respectively), while acute hospital admission was associated with a lower risk of colonization of gut pathogens (OR: 0.23 [0.074-0.72]). The risk of developing a disturbed oropharyngeal microbiota increased with LOS in hospitalized patients. PPI medication and receiving antibiotics before hospitalization were independent risk factors for developing oropharyngeal colonization of gut pathogens.