Enteral Tube Feeding Alters the Oral Indigenous Microbiota in Elderly Adults

Abstract

Enteral tube feeding is widely used to maintain nutrition for elderly adults with eating difficulties, but its long-term use alters the environment of the oral ecosystem. This study characterized the tongue microbiota of tube-fed elderly adults by analyzing the 16S rRNA gene. The terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) profiles of 44 tube-fed subjects were compared with those of 54 subjects fed orally (average age, 86.4 ؎ 6.9 years). Bar-coded pyrosequencing data were also obtained for a subset of the subjects from each group (15 tube-fed subjects and 16 subjects fed orally). The T-RFLP profiles demonstrated that the microbiota of the tube-fed subjects was distinct from that of the subjects fed orally (permutational multivariate analysis of variance [perMANOVA], P < 0.001). The pyrosequencing data revealed that 22 bacterial genera, including Corynebacterium, Peptostreptococcus, and Fusobacterium, were significantly more predominant in tube-fed subjects, whereas the dominant genera in the subjects fed orally, such as Streptococcus and Veillonella, were present in much lower proportions. Opportunistic pathogens rarely detected in the normal oral microbiota, such as Corynebacterium striatum and Streptococcus agalactiae, were often found in high proportions in tube-fed subjects. The oral indigenous microbiota is disrupted by the use of enteral feeding, allowing health-threatening bacteria to thrive.

Characterizations of oral microbiota in elderly nursing home residents with diabetes

“…Within the oral cavity of any given individual, the environment can differ according to tissue location, the bacterial composition of the buccal area, vestibule, tongue, palate, tonsil, tooth surface and gingiva being site-specific (2). The major phylum present in saliva samples is low-GC gram-positive bacteria (Firmicutes), and this includes both healthy subjects and patients with periodontal disease (17). Although the methods we used for sequence analyses were not the same as those used in previous studies, our present results were concordant.…”

“…Alterations in the taxonomic and functional composition of gut microbiota have been observed in patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes (8,9), obesity (10,11), and Crohn's disease (12,13), and the composition is reportedly influenced by dietary nutrition (14,15). Similarly, the oral microbiota is also known to change in response to local and general conditions, and is considered to be an indicator of homeostatic deterioration (7,16,17). Although the association between oral and intestinal microbiota is unclear, recent studies have suggested that alterations in the microbial composition of dental plaque are associated with periodontal disease (6,18).…”

High HPV16 E6 viral load in the oral cavity is associated with an increased number of bacteria: A preliminary study

“…Thus, it is likely that the microbiome in an oral rinse sample is composed of a variety of bacteria from different oral regions. The tongue surface has been demonstrated to exhibit a relatively stable bacterial microbiome with a composition very similar to that of saliva (27,28). The present study compared differences in bacterial composition between oral rinse samples and different oral sites.…”

Effect of Radiotherapy on Oral Microflora of Patients with Head and Neck Malignancies

“…Dynamic pathobiological processes lower the quality of life and predispose patients to serious clinical disorders (Stephen et al 2003). The changes in oral microbial population of the patients leads to severe pain in the oral cavity and these patients are unable to eat solids (Takeshita et al 2011). Diet and more specifically, the protein and starch content of food influenced the oral microbial abundance of Lactobacilli and Streptococci.…”

“…Diet and more specifically, the protein and starch content of food influenced the oral microbial abundance of Lactobacilli and Streptococci. After radiotherapy the tube-fed patients showed disruption of indigenous oral microbiota, allowing other opportunistic pathogens like Corynebacterium striatum and Streptococcus agalacticae to grow in large numbers and become predominant species in oral cavity (Takeshita et al 2011). The Candida albicans is commensal inhabitant of the oral cavity in a large proportion of individuals.…”