The oral carriage of yeasts and coliforms in patients on cytotoxic therapy.

The oral carriage of yeasts and coliforms in a healthy adult population and a group of patients with malignancies, undergoing cytotoxic therapy was investigated. A quantitative increase in the intra-oral carriage of Candida species and coliforms was observed during cytotoxic therapy. The most frequent yeast and the coliform isolated were Candida albicans and Escherichia coli, respectively. Thus, the oral cavity may constitute a reservoir of potentially pathogenic flora in patients on cytotoxic therapy.