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The correlation between the numbers of some bacteria in human oral cavity and blood neutrophil count
E Majda-Stanislawska1, Z Krzeminski
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Lodz, Poland. ewiga@psk2.am.lodz.pl
Insights
Lower blood polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs) correlate with increased oral bacteria like Streptococcus and Staphylococcus in children. This inverse relationship was observed in both healthy children and those with acute lymphoblastic leukemia undergoing chemotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Oral microbiology
- Hematology
- Pediatric oncology
Background:
- Polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs) play a crucial role in immune defense against bacterial infections.
- Oral bacteria, including Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp., are common inhabitants of the oral cavity.
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and its treatment can impact immune function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between blood polymorphonuclear granulocyte (PMN) counts and oral bacterial loads in children.
- To compare this correlation in healthy children versus those with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) undergoing chemotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Blood samples were collected to determine PMN counts.
- Saliva samples were analyzed for the presence of specific oral bacteria (Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., mutans streptococci, Lactobacillus spp., Actinomyces spp.).
- A cohort of 92 children (aged 4-15), including healthy individuals and ALL patients, was studied.
Main Results:
- A negative correlation was observed between blood PMN counts and the abundance of Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., mutans streptococci, Lactobacillus spp., and Actinomyces spp. in saliva.
- This inverse relationship was consistent in both healthy children and children with ALL.
- Lower blood PMN levels were associated with higher counts of these oral bacteria.
Conclusions:
- Blood PMNs appear to influence the population of oral PMNs, which in turn regulate oral bacterial levels.
- The findings suggest a link between systemic immune status, as indicated by blood PMN counts, and the composition of the oral microbiome.
- This relationship holds true in both healthy pediatric populations and those undergoing intensive cancer treatment.
Abstract:
The correlation between the number of blood polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs) and the counts of oral bacteria in 92 children (33 girls and 59 boys), aged 4-15 was investigated. The groups of children comprised 44 healthy individuals and 48 children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia who were given intensive antileukaemic chemotherapy. It was found that while the number of PMNs in blood decreased, the counts of Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., mutans streptococci, Lactobacillus spp., and Actinomyces spp. in the saliva tended to increase. The similar reciprocal correlation between the number of blood PMNs and the counts of these bacteria in the saliva was found in the group of healthy children. We concluded that the blood PMNs, by influencing the number of oral PMNs which control bacteria in this habitat, influence also the number of some groups of bacteria there.