Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.7
4.2
Journals
Microorganisms
Special Issues
Oral Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi: Oral Health, Disease, and Systemic...
share announcement

Oral Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi: Oral Health, Disease, and Systemic Links

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 3331

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Pia Di Palo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84084 Baronissi, Italy
Interests: implant dentistry; periodontology; oral surgery; oral medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Federica Di Spirito

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana, University of Salerno, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Interests: oral medicine and interconnected systemic disorders; oral microbiome, dysbiosis and interconnected systemic disorders; periodontology and implantology; applied technologies (disease prevention, teledentistry)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nicoletta Capuano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
Interests: oral; microbiota; probiotics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The oral cavity harbors a diverse microbiota composed not only of bacteria but also of viruses and fungi, whose roles in health and disease are increasingly being recognized. While the role of bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis has extensively been explored in caries and periodontitis, recent studies have highlighted the potential involvement of viruses, such as herpesviruses, and fungi, such as Candida species, in the progression and severity of these and other oral conditions.

In particular, bacterial–viral and bacterial–fungal interactions are emerging as key factors in the pathogenesis of several oral diseases, such as periodontal disease and oral mucosal lesions, suggesting that the oral microbiota should be considered as a whole when investigating disease mechanisms.

Beyond the oral cavity, mounting evidence supports the involvement of oral microorganisms—including bacteria, viruses, and fungi—in systemic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory infections, autoimmune disorders, and even certain cancers. Their potential to act as reservoirs of inflammation, modulators of the immune system, or sources of systemic dissemination underscores their clinical relevance far beyond the oral cavity.

Therefore, this Special Issue, titled “Oral Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi: Oral Health, Disease, and Systemic Links”, has the scope to highlight the links between oral microorganisms and oral and systemic health and diseases.

We invite original articles, reviews, and communications exploring the role of oral bacteria, viruses, and fungi in both oral and systemic health and disease and the related links. Some of its focal points include, but are not limited to, the following: oral microbial pathogenesis, microbial shifts in dysbiosis, host–microbe interactions, antimicrobial resistance, diagnostic advances, and therapeutic approaches including microbiome modulation and the use of probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics—across all age groups.

Dr. Maria Pia Di Palo
Dr. Federica Di Spirito
Guest Editors

Dr. Nicoletta Capuano
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • oral microbiota
  • host–microbe interactions
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • therapeutic approaches
  • probiotics

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 3747 KB  
Article
Four-Year Longitudinal Epidemiological Study on the Association Between a Multi-Item Saliva Testing System and Oral and Gut Microbiota
by Satoshi Sato, Daisuke Chinda, Keita Mikami, Masakazu Tobinai, Nao Ishidoya, Keisuke Furusawa, Kaede Miyashiro, Kenta Yoshida, Chikara Iino, Kaori Sawada, Tatsuya Mikami, Shigeyuki Nakaji, Koichi Murashita and Hirotake Sakuraba
Microorganisms 2025, 13(11), 2483; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13112483 - 30 Oct 2025
Viewed by 555
Abstract
Salivary Multi Test (SMT) is a device that can quickly and noninvasively measure seven parameters related to the oral environment using saliva as a sample: (1) bacteria that cause tooth decay, (2) acidity, (3) buffering capacity, (4) occult blood, (5) white blood cells, [...] Read more.
Salivary Multi Test (SMT) is a device that can quickly and noninvasively measure seven parameters related to the oral environment using saliva as a sample: (1) bacteria that cause tooth decay, (2) acidity, (3) buffering capacity, (4) occult blood, (5) white blood cells, (6) protein, and (7) ammonia. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the relationship between SMT and oral and gut microbiota in healthy general residents. After propensity score matching, 198 participants were included (low SMT group: 99 participants; high SMT group: 99 participants). We reclassified participants four years after the follow-up survey and compared the low- and high-SMT groups. The high SMT score group indicating a poor oral environment showed increased Olsenella in both the oral cavity and gut at the start of the survey and four years later. Oral Olsenella was strongly correlated with occult blood and protein levels. In contrast, a 4-year follow-up study demonstrated that changes in oral Olsenella were associated with occult blood changes. Conversely, changes in gut Olsenella were associated with changes in occult blood and protein. A poor SMT score has been shown to be linked to increased oral and gut Olsenella and improving the oral environment can improve the oral–gut microbial environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi: Oral Health, Disease, and Systemic Links)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1639 KB  
Article
Evaluation of the Oral Microbiome in Patients with Alström and Bardet-Biedl Syndromes and Their Heterozygous Family Members
by Ewa Zmysłowska-Polakowska, Tomasz Płoszaj, Sebastian Skoczylas, Julia Grzybowska-Adamowicz, Aleksandra Palatyńska-Ulatowska, Monika Łukomska-Szymańska and Agnieszka Zmysłowska
Microorganisms 2025, 13(11), 2442; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13112442 - 24 Oct 2025
Viewed by 616
Abstract
Alström (ALMS) and Bardet-Biedl syndromes (BBS) are rare ciliopathies characterized by obesity and hyperglycemia that lead to type 2 diabetes, but also other disorders, including neurodegeneration. However, isolated clinical manifestations can be observed in carriers of heterozygous mutations in the ALMS1 and BBS [...] Read more.
Alström (ALMS) and Bardet-Biedl syndromes (BBS) are rare ciliopathies characterized by obesity and hyperglycemia that lead to type 2 diabetes, but also other disorders, including neurodegeneration. However, isolated clinical manifestations can be observed in carriers of heterozygous mutations in the ALMS1 and BBS genes. Recently, the influence of oral bacteria on the presence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegenerative processes has been widely discussed. The purpose of the research project was to analyze the profile of the microbiome in the oral cavity by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene in ALMS/BBS patients and carriers of causative variants in these genes. Oral mucosal swabs were taken from 8 ALMS/BBS patients, 24 family members, 20 obese patients, and 29 healthy individuals. Streptococcus (30.7%), Haemophilus (18.9%), and Prevotella (11%) were the most common bacteria in the study group. Comparison between groups showed a higher abundance of Prevotella, Enterococcus, Eikenella, Capnocytophaga, Parvimonas, Selenomonas, and Corynobacterium, and a lower abundance of Lactobacillus in the study group compared to other groups. The specific profile of the oral microbiome found in patients with variants in the ALMS1 and BBS genes may enable the identification of the modulatory role of the oral microbiome in these disorders and point to new directions for additional therapy for these patients and heterozygous family members in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi: Oral Health, Disease, and Systemic Links)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 281 KB  
Article
Assessment of the Impact of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Using a 635 nm Diode Laser and Toluidine Blue on the Susceptibility of Selected Strains of Candida and Staphylococcus aureus: An In Vitro Study
by Marcin Tkaczyk, Anna Mertas, Anna Kuśka-Kiełbratowska, Jakub Fiegler-Rudol, Elżbieta Bobela, Maria Cisowska, Dariusz Skaba and Rafał Wiench
Microorganisms 2025, 13(9), 2126; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13092126 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 995
Abstract
Yeasts of the genus Candida (C.) and the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are among the most common pathogens responsible for infections that are difficult to treat, including those resistant to standard therapy. In recent decades, this has become [...] Read more.
Yeasts of the genus Candida (C.) and the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are among the most common pathogens responsible for infections that are difficult to treat, including those resistant to standard therapy. In recent decades, this has become an increasing clinical problem. In response to the limitations of traditional procedures, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), which combines light, a photosensitizer, and oxygen, is gaining growing interest. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effectiveness of aPDT using a 635 nm diode laser in combination with toluidine blue O (TBO) against Candida spp. and S. aureus. Reference strains of C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei, and S. aureus were subjected to aPDT. In phase I of this study, the optimal TBO incubation time was assessed with constant laser parameters. In phase II, the impact of the physical parameters of the laser, irradiation time, and output power, was analyzed, with the TBO incubation time set based on the phase I results, to evaluate the degree of microbial reduction (CFU/mL). Statistical analyses were then conducted to assess significance. TBO-mediated aPDT significantly reduced microbial viability, depending on incubation time and laser settings. The minimal effective incubation times were 10 min for Candida spp. and 5 min for S. aureus. The highest pathogen inactivation efficacy was observed at an output power of 400 mW and an irradiation time of 120 s. The use of the photosensitizer or laser alone did not result in significant antimicrobial effects. TBO-mediated aPDT may serve as an effective complement to conventional antimicrobial therapy and, in selected cases (e.g., drug resistance), has the potential to partially or fully replace it. The observed minimal effective incubation times provide a practical baseline, but further statistical comparisons are required to determine whether these durations are truly optimal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi: Oral Health, Disease, and Systemic Links)

Review

Jump to: Research

23 pages, 632 KB  
Review
The Oral–Brain Axis in Alzheimer’s Disease: From Microbial Dysbiosis to Neurodegeneration
by Alessia Felicetti, Domenico Azzolino, Pietro Paolo Piro, Gabriel César Dias Lopes, Najmeh Rezaeinezhad, Roberto Lovero, Luisella Bocchio-Chiavetto, Marica Colella and Pier Carmine Passarelli
Microorganisms 2025, 13(12), 2741; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122741 - 1 Dec 2025
Viewed by 728
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia, still lacks a clearly defined pathogenesis and effective disease-modifying therapies, prompting growing interest in peripheral drivers of neurodegeneration. Among these, chronic oral dysbiosis has emerged as a potential risk factor. Disruption of the oral [...] Read more.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia, still lacks a clearly defined pathogenesis and effective disease-modifying therapies, prompting growing interest in peripheral drivers of neurodegeneration. Among these, chronic oral dysbiosis has emerged as a potential risk factor. Disruption of the oral ecosystem in periodontitis promotes systemic inflammation and the circulation of bacterial products capable of influencing brain homeostasis. By integrating molecular findings with epidemiological data linking periodontitis, tooth loss, and poor oral health to increased AD risk, this review examines how oral dysbiosis contributes to systemic inflammation as part of a broader network of interacting factors involved in AD pathophysiology. It describes how inflammatory, gut-microbial, genetic, and barrier-related processes intersect with oral dysbiosis and jointly contribute to the acceleration of AD progression. Building on this systemic perspective, the review highlights emerging oral biomarkers and oral–gut microbiota-targeted therapies as potential tools to address current gaps in early diagnosis and intervention. Overall, this work advances current understanding by integrating previously fragmented evidence and highlighting the key conceptual and methodological gaps that must be addressed to clarify causality and to guide the development of preventive and therapeutic approaches targeting oral health in the context of AD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi: Oral Health, Disease, and Systemic Links)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop