RESUMO
Objective: To evaluate salivary microbial flora of patients with hiatal hernia and compare it with that of healthy subjects. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 50 patients with hiatal hernia measuring >1 cm and 50 healthy subjects (as the controls) were selected using simple random technique. One mL of salivary sample was taken from each patient, transferred into 50-mL Falcon tubes and immediately carried to the microbiology Laboratory of Tabriz Faculty of Medicine. The salivary samples were cultured on specific Streptococcus viridans (S. mitis, S. mutans, S. salivarius and S. sanguis), Enterococcus spp. and Lactobacillus culture media. Then the samples were incubated at 37°C for 7 days, followed by evaluation of the bacterial colonies. Statistical significance was defined at p<0.05. Results: A total of 34% of subjects with hiatal hernia and 26% healthy subjects exhibited Lactobacillus gasseri in their salivary samples; 16% of subjects with hernia and 6% of healthy subjects exhibited Enterococci spp. in their salivary samples. In addition, 82% of subjects with hernia and 72% of healthy subjects exhibited S. mutans in their salivary samples; 74% and 4% of subjects with hernia and 76% and 4% of healthy subjects exhibited gram-positive and gram-negative bacilli in their salivary samples, respectively. Furthermore, 98% of subjects with hernia and 86% of healthy subjects exhibited gram-positive cocci in their salivary samples, however without significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: No significant differences in the counts of Lactobacillus spp., Enterococcus spp., Streptococcus viridans and gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial species between healthy controls and subjects with hiatal hernia.