BACKGROUND: Interpretation of yeast isolation from sputum is problematic due to contamination of yeasts in the oral cavity. Knowledge on the yeast colonization of normal oral cavity is necessary for the interpretation of yeast isolation. We determined the isolation rate, count and persistence of yeasts in oral cavity of the healthy adults. METHODS: Seven weekly specimens of saliva were collected from 40 healthy adults during September to December, 1998. They were quantitatively cultured in selective Sabouraud dextrose agar containing antibiotics. The yeast colonies were counted and species identified by Vitek YBC card. The persistence of yeasts were determined by comparing the weekly culture. RESULTS: Yeasts were isolated from 77.5% of the subjects at least once. The yeasts isolated were nine Candida species, three Cryptococcus species and three other yeasts. C. albicans was found in 30.0% of 40 subjects and 22.5% of 240 samples. The count ranged from 1 to 3,960 CFU/mL. C. albicans and C. parapsilosis were relatively more frequently isolated and the mean numbers were 226 CFU/mL and 84 CFU/mL, respectively. C. albicans was persistently recovered yeast at successive cultures but other species except C. parapsilosis were isolated only one or two times. CONCLUSIONS: Large number of C. albicans colonize in oral cavity of some healthy adults persistently. The clinical significance of isolated yeasts from sputum specimen which can be mixed with oral flora should be interpreted cautiously on the basis of underlying disease, symptom and X-ray finding of the patient, together with the isolated species, count, and persistence of the yeasts.
Adult* ; Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Candida ; Candida albicans ; Colon ; Cryptococcus ; Glucose ; Humans ; Mouth* ; Saliva ; Sputum ; Yeasts*

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between nutritional intake and caries experience of junior high school students. The sample consisted of 295 boys and 356 girls in Kangwha county. Dependent variables were total caries experience, occlusal surface caries experience, smooth surface caries experience and DMFS score (Decayed, Missing, Filling Tooth Surface score). Independent variables such as pit and fissure retentiveness of first molars, oral hygiene status, intraoral acidogenicity were also measured by dentists. Other independent variables such as toothbrushing habits, socioeconomic conditions, between-meal eating habits, and daily nutritional intake were determined during an interview. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate how nutritional intake influences caries experience. The results were as follows: 1. The most influential factor on dental caries experience was pit and fissure retentiveness. 2. Dietary fiber and potassium were the significant nutritional factors on total caries experience and occlusal caries experience, and niacin was the significant nutritional factor on smooth surface caries. 3. DMFS score was positively associated with the daily amount of carbohydrate and niacin intake, and negatively associated with total energy intake. The above results suggested that pit and fissure retentiveness was the most influential factor on caries experience. However, in this study, the intake of potassium and niacin was identified to influence the caries experience in addition to confirming the well-known relationship between fiber and carbohydrate intake.
Adolescence ; Child ; Dental Caries/etiology* ; Diet* ; Dietary Carbohydrates/administration & dosage ; Dietary Fiber/administration & dosage ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Human ; Male ; Oral Hygiene

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic examination of upper gastrointestinal tract disease in infancy and childhood was introduced 2 decades ago. However, clinical indication, premedication, endoscopic features, and practical problems have been infrequently reported in neonate and infants, Therefore, the usef'ulness and problems of endoscopy in these pediatric patients was evaluated. METHODS: Twelve pediatric patients who underwent endos-copic examination which involved a choledochoscope, bronchoscope, and gastrofibroscope included 8 neonates and 4 infants who suffered from gastrointestinal symptoms. Drugs for premedication were chloral hydrate, diazepam, midazolam and ketamine in single or combined administration. RESULTS: Clinical manifestations were hematemesis (67%), melena (42%), vomiting (8%), weight loss (8%), fever (8%) and irritability (8%). Indica-tions for endoscopic examination were upper gastrointestinal Weeding (67%), upper gastrointestinal obstruction (8%), acute drug intoxication (8%), foreign bodies in the stomach (8%) and evaluation for varix (8%). Endo-scopic findings revealed a gastric ulcer (48%), acute gastric mucosal lesion (8/<), external compression on the duodenum (8%), a gastric foreign body (8%), acute esophago-gastritis (8%) and esophageal and gastric varix (8%). Therapeutic endoscopy was performed in 2 patients, One case of hypoxia occurred during diagnostic endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Endoseopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract is a useful and safe proce-dure to detect diseases in neonates and infants if it is done by experienced endocopists and in the circumstances of adequate premedication.
Anoxia ; Bronchoscopes ; Chloral Hydrate ; Diazepam ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Fever ; Foreign Bodies ; Hematemesis ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn* ; Ketamine ; Melena ; Midazolam ; Premedication ; Stomach ; Stomach Ulcer ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Varicose Veins ; Vomiting ; Weight Loss