The prevalence of enterococci in the dental plaque of chronic hospital patients.

Enterococci have caused 2 of 3 reported cases of infective endocarditis following dental treatment of patients receiving haemodialysis. Since this could indicate an increased carriage rate of enterococci in the mouths of such patients, the prevalence of enterococci in dental plaque was compared in four groups of subjects, chronic dialysis patients, chronic cardiac patients, medical staff and dental hospital out-patients. The isolation of enterococci was significantly increased in both chronic patient groups and this may be related to their greater exposure to antibiotic therapy.