D2D Collection of microbes from the oral cavity using the oral rinse method

Microbes in the oral cavity can cause diseases such as cavities and infected root canals. One genus of bacteria, Enterococcus, is also commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract and as an opportunistic pathogen in healthcare-associated infections. Currently, there are very few isolates of Enterococcus species that have been obtained from the oral cavity. Enterococcus species can interact with other oral microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and bacteriophage, and this may contribute to the development of oral infections. We seek to collect oral isolates of Enterococcus, Streptococcus, bacteriophages, and fungi like Candida albicans to further our research on biofilm development and virulence of these bacteria. In this study, oral rinse samples will be collected from adults at the MN State Fair for isolation of microbes and sequencing of microbial DNA. This study is only available at the D2D Building at the Minnesota State Fair.