Tranberg A, et al. - Whether there is an imbalance in the oropharyngeal flora early after hospital or ICU admittance, and whether flora differs between control, ward and critically ill patients, was primarily investigated. Whether there are patient characteristics that can be associated with a disturbed oropharyngeal flora was also determined. Relative to controls, hospitalised patients and more so the critically ill had abnormal oropharyngeal flora as an early and frequent event. In critically ill patients vs ward patients or controls, more frequent colonisation of gut flora in the oropharynx was seen. Proton pump inhibitor medication was shown to be related to colonisation of gut flora in the oropharynx.