CHARACTERIZATION OF CARIOGENIC BACTERIA AND THEIR RESISTANCE PROFILES IN AN OBESE IRAQI POPULATION

Background: Obesity is a common yet neglected public health issue worldwide. Oral health, an essential
component of overall health and well-being, overlaps with risk factors for obesity, including poor eating
habits. This study aimed to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria isolated from tooth decay in
obese patients.
Materials and methods: Sixty specimens were collected randomly from the mouths and teeth of obese patients
in the Babylon Governorate, Iraq. The colony size, shape, color, edge, and transparency were examined to
determine the morphological and cultural parameters of each bacterial isolate. Antibiotic susceptibility was
assessed using 9 types of antibiotics.
Results: The results showed that the rate of positive specimens was 37 (56.06%), and the negative rate was
29 (43.93%) for the total of 66 specimens. The number of positive male specimens was 35(58.33%), more
than that of the females, 25 (41.66%). The dominant bacterial isolates were Staphylococcus aureus (19),
Klebsiella pneumonia (13), Candida spp. (10), Staphylococcus epidermidis (8), Streptococcus sp., and
Escherichia coli (5), Bacillus cereus (5), Pseudomonas sp. (3), Proteus mirabilis (2).
Conclusion: the study concludes that S. aureus was resistant to Clindamycin and Ceftaroline 19(100%), then
Erythromycin 15 (78.94%), Gentamycin 14(73.68%), Ofloxacin 9 (47.36%), Rifampin 7(36.84%),
Tetracycline 3(15.78%), and Azithromycin and Ciprofloxacin (0 %). K. pneumoniae was highly resistant to
Penicillin and Ciprofloxacin 13(100%), levofloxacin 9 (53.84%), Gentamycin and Nitrofurantoin 7 (23.7%),
Rifampin and Tetracycline 3 (23.07%), and Imipenem and Meropenem (0%).