Periodontal Medicine Archives - Critical Care Science (CCS)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hospitalized patients receiving treatment at intensive care units (ICU) usually show poor oral hygiene, and may have the mouth and oropharingeal region colonized by pathogens involved in nosocomial pneumonia. The presence of these pathogens may increase the risk for respiratory diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of respiratory pathogens in the oral cavity of hospitalized patients at ICU. METHODS: Were included in the study 30 patients from Hospital Raul Sertã, Nova Friburgo, with the diagnostic of nosocomial pneumonia, and tracheal aspirate samples were cultured to identify the causing microorganisms. In addition, microbiological samples from supragingival dental plaque, tongue and respiratory tube were cultured for the presence of a panel of respiratory pathogens. RESULTS: The most frequently found bacteria in the tracheal aspirate were S. Pneumoniae 23.3% (7), P. aeruginosa 20% (6), S. aureus 13.3% (4), K. pneumoniae 13.3% (4), C. albicans 6.6% (2), a-hemolytic streptococcus 6.6% (2), Staphylococcus sp. 6.6% (2), A. calcoaceticus 3.3% (1), E. coli 3.3% (1) and E. cloacae 3.3% (1). 70% (21) of these microorganisms were found in the dental biofilm, 63.33% (19) in tongue samples; 73.33% (22) in the respiratory tube; and 43.33% (13) in all sampling sites simultaneously. No differences in proportions could be observed between the sampling sites (p > 0.05) CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that respiratory pathogens associated with nosocomial pneumonia are present in the oral biofilm of hospitalized patients in ICU, which may serve as a reservoir for these microorganisms.