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Table 1 Bacteria commonly found on the surfaces of the pharynx

From: Changes in pharyngeal aerobic microflora in oral breathers after palatal rapid expansion

Staphylococcus epidermidis

++

Streptococcus pyogenes*

+

Mycoplasmas

+

Staphylococcus aureus*

+

Neisseria sp.

++

Mycobacteria

+/-

Streptococcus mitis

+

Klebsiella pneumoniae

+/-

Lactobacillus sp.

+

Streptococcus salivarius

++

Neisseria meningitidis*

++

Hemophilus influenzae

+

Streptococcus mutans *

+

Corynebacteria

+

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

+/-

Enterococcus faecalis*

+/-

Actinomycetes

+

Proteus

+

Streptococcus pneumoniae

+

Spirochetes

+

Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli)*

+/-

  1. ++ = nearly 100% + = common +/- = rare * = potential pathogen.
  2. Asterisks indicate members of the normal flora that may be considered major pathogens of humans.