Association between the microbiomes of tonsil and saliva samples isolated from pediatric patients subjected to tonsillectomy for the treatment of tonsillar hyperplasia

• Main Authors: Da Hyeon Choi, Jiwon Park, Ju Kwang Choi, Kyeong Eun Lee, Won Hee Lee, Jinho Yang, Ju Yeon Lee, Yoon Jeong Park, Chan Oh, Ho-Ryun Won, Bon Seok Koo, Jae Won Chang, Yoon Shin Park
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2020-09-01
• Series: Experimental and Molecular Medicine
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-020-00487-6

Oral microbes: The populations of tonsils and saliva Analysing the microbes on tonsils and in saliva from the mouths of children in South Korea provides comparisons of the microbial populations in these distinct but nearby regions, offering possible guidance for developing new therapies for various oral diseases. Researchers in South Korea led by Yoon Shin Park at Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, and Jae Won Chang at Chungnam National University, Daejeon, examined surgically removed tonsils from 29 patients, together with samples of the patients’ saliva. They identified many specific microbe types, finding broad similarities between the populations of an individual’s tonsils and saliva. They also identified positive and negative correlations between the presence of specific microbes in the two populations. The results could guide future treatment choices, including the use of microbes to treat disease.