A 4-YEAR LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF THE ORAL PREVALENCE OF ENTERIC GRAM-NEGATIVE RODS AND YEASTS IN CHINESE CHILDREN

A 4-year longitudinal study of the oral prevalence of enteric gram-neg ative rods and yeasts in 116 Chinese primary school children in Hong K ong was conducted. The oral prevalence of enteric gram-negative rods f or each consecutive year was 25.3%, 37.0%, 24.0% and 25.8% respectivel y, with a weighted mean of 27.9%. Enterobacteriaceae, which comprised 57% of all enteric gram-negative rods, were more common in children wi th no caries experience. The oral prevalence of yeasts for each consec utive year was 7.7%, 12.0%, 14.4% and 15.5% respectively, with a weigh ted mean of 12.5%. Candida albicans comprised 84% of all yeasts isolat ed. Oral yeast carriage was significantly associated with caries preva lence. While the oral prevalence of enteric gram-negative rods in prim ary school children in Hong Kong may be higher than in other parts of the world, repeated isolation of either enteric gramnegative rods or C andida spp. from individual children over the 4-year study period was rare, suggesting that carriage of these organisms is transient.