Oral Colonization ofStaphylococcusSpecies in a Peritoneal Dialysis Population: A Possible Reservoir for PD-Related Infections?

Abstract

Peritoneal dialysis-related infections are important morbidity/mortality causes, being staphylococci the most prevalent agents. SinceStaphylococcus aureusnasopharynx carriage is a known risk factor for PD infections and the oral cavity is a starting point for systemic diseases development, we aimed at comparing the oral staphylococci colonization between PD patients and controls and studying the association with PD-related infections. Saliva samples were plated in Mannitol salt, and isolates were identified byDnaJgene sequencing. Staphylococci PD-related infections were recorded throughout the 4-year period following sample collection.Staphylococcuscolonization was present in >90% of the samples from both groups (a total of nine species identified). PD patients presented less diversity and less prevalence of multispeciesStaphylococcuscolonization. Although all patients presentingStaphylococcus epidermidisPD-related infections were also colonized in the oral cavity by the same agent,only 1 out of 7 patients with ESI caused byS.aureuspresentedS. aureusoral colonization. Staphylococci are highly prevalent in the oral cavity of both groups, although PD patients presented less species diversity. The association between oralStaphylococcuscarriage and PD-related infections was present forS. epidermidisbut was almost inexistent forS. aureus, so, further studies are still necessary to evaluate the infectious potential of oralStaphylococcuscarriage in PD.