Defining an Oral Microbial Signature (OMS) in an Appalachian Population

OBJECTIVES: Appalachia exhibits some of the worst oral health in the country. Previous work in our laboratory focused on identifying 3 periodontal pathogens, yeast and non-traditional oral isolates with susceptibility profiles that create a unique Oral Microbial Signature (OMS). The goal of this report is to further expand and categorize the OMS in subjects recruited from two Appalachian rural counties in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

METHODS: From the population-based cohort of families ascertained by the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia, subjects were recruited onsite as part of a 500 family set focus. Samples were collected as part of the dental evaluation and included viable culture on selective/differential media for S. aureus, Group A Beta Strep, and C. albicans from the throat; S mutans determinations (Dentocult); and an enzymatic analysis (BANA) for three periopathogens: P. gingivalis, B. forsythus and T. denticola from 1 representative tooth from each of the 4 quadrants and the tongue.

RESULTS: Throat cultures from 2330 subjects revealed 776 (33.3%) negatives, 746 (32.0%) positives for S. aureus, 302 (13.0%) for Group A beta Strep and 585 (25.1%) for C. albicans. Dentocult results for S. mutans from 2108 subjects revealed 445 (21.1%) negatives (ranked 0) with total positives of 1575 (74.7%) ranked by quantization: 598 (28.4%) ranked 1, 454 (21.5%) ranked 2 and 523 (24.8%) ranked 3. BANA enzymatic assay for the tongue (2787 total) indicated 997 (35.8%) positives and 1790 (64.2%) negatives; 4 tooth sites revealed 1384 positives and 1407 negatives.

CONCLUSIONS: We recovered an inordinate number of potential oral-pathogens in a variety of distinct combinations defining an Oral Microbial Signature (OMS). With a unique oral bacterial and mycotic profile we hope to assess transmissibility within a closed community/family and correlate/predict clinical outcome. NIH Grant #R01-DE014899