Document Type

Article

Disciplines

Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

Objective

To assess microorganisms associated with vascular access-associated infections (VAIs) in hemodialysis patients, with respect to possible origin from the mouth.

Study Design

A retrospective and comparative analysis of the microbes associated with VAI in hemodialysis patients treated during a 10-year period was performed using the Human Oral Microbiome Database (HOMD).

Results

Of 218 patient records identified, 65 patients collectively experienced 115 VAI episodes. The most common microorganisms involved were Staphylococcus aureus (49.6% of infections), Staphylococcus epidermidis (10.4%), Serratia marcescens (10.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.6%), and Enterococcus faecalis / fecum (8.7%). None of these was found in 1% or more of HOMD clone libraries, indicating that they very rarely colonize the teeth or plaque.

Conclusions

Most VAIs were associated with microorganisms more likely to originate from other body sites than from the oral cavity. The risk of a VAI being caused by microorganisms originating from the oral cavity is very small.

Comments

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2014 January 3. Published in final edited form as: Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2013 January; 115(1): 10.1016/j.oooo.2012.08.445. doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2012.08.445 PMCID: PMC3880246 NIHMSID: NIHMS423307

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