Oropharyngeal Microbiota in Frail Older Patients Unaffected by Time in Hospital

Bibliographic Details
Title: Oropharyngeal Microbiota in Frail Older Patients Unaffected by Time in Hospital
Authors: Victoria C. Ewan, William D. K. Reid, Mark Shirley, A. John Simpson, Steven P. Rushton, William G. Wade
Source: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Vol 8 (2018)
Publisher Information: Frontiers Media S.A., 2018.
Publication Year: 2018
Collection: LCC:Microbiology
Subject Terms: microbiota, aged, cross infection, comorbidity, oropharynx, frail elderly, Microbiology, QR1-502
More Details: Respiratory tract infections are the commonest nosocomial infections, and occur predominantly in frailer, older patients with multiple comorbidities. The oropharyngeal microbiota is the major reservoir of infection. This study explored the relative contributions of time in hospital and patient demographics to the community structure of the oropharyngeal microbiota in older patients with lower limb fracture. We collected 167 throat swabs from 53 patients (mean age 83) over 14 days after hospitalization, and analyzed these using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We calculated frailty/comorbidity indices, undertook dental examinations and collected data on respiratory tract infections. We analyzed microbial community composition using correspondence (CA) and canonical correspondence analysis. Ten patients were treated for respiratory tract infection. Microbial community structure was related to frailty, number of teeth and comorbidity on admission, with comorbidity exerting the largest effect. Time in hospital neither significantly changed alpha (t = −0.910, p = 0.365) nor beta diversity (CA1 t = 0.022, p = 0.982; CA2 t = −0.513, p = 0.609) of microbial communities in patient samples. Incidence of respiratory pathogens were not associated with time in hospital (t = −0.207, p = 0.837), nor with alpha diversity of the oral microbiota (t = −1.599, p = 0.113). Patient characteristics at admission, rather than time in hospital, influenced the community structure of the oral microbiota.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2235-2988
Relation: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fcimb.2018.00042/full; https://doaj.org/toc/2235-2988
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00042
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/05885a409463416380121d473c2760fe
Accession Number: edsdoj.05885a409463416380121d473c2760fe
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:22352988
DOI:10.3389/fcimb.2018.00042
Published in:Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
Language:English