• Poala J Marino, Matt P Wise, Ann Smith, Julian R Marchesi, Marcello P Riggio, Lewis Michael A O MAO School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, United Kingdom. Electronic address: lewismao@, and David W Williams.
• School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, United Kingdom. Electronic address: paola_marino@hotmail.com.
• J Crit Care. 2017 Jun 1; 39: 149-155.

PurposeMechanically ventilated patients are at risk for developing ventilator-associated pneumonia, and it has been reported that dental plaque provides a reservoir of respiratory pathogens that may aspirate to the lungs and endotracheal tube (ETT) biofilms. For the first time, metataxonomics was used to simultaneously characterize the microbiome of dental plaque, ETTs, and non-directed bronchial lavages (NBLs) in mechanically ventilated patients to determine similarities in respective microbial communities and therefore likely associations.Material And MethodsBacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences from 34 samples of dental plaque, NBLs, and ETTs from 12 adult mechanically ventilated patients were analyzed.ResultsNo significant differences in the microbial communities of these samples were evident. Detected bacteria were primarily oral species (e.g., Fusobacterium nucleatum, Streptococcus salivarius, Prevotella melaninogenica) with respiratory pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcuspneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae) also in high abundance.ConclusionThe high similarity between the microbiomes of dental plaque, NBLs, and ETTs suggests that the oral cavity is indeed an important site involved in microbial aspiration to the lower airway and ETT. As such, maintenance of good oral hygiene is likely to be highly important in limiting aspiration of bacteria in this vulnerable patient group.Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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