Table 1.

Eligibility criteria for the study group (HD).

Study Group Inclusion Criteria:	Study Exclusion Criteria:
Duration of dialysis for a minimum of 3 months	Taking immunosuppressive or cytotoxic drugs now or in the past
Presence of end-stage chronic renal failure	Disseminated malignancy
Informed consent to participate in the study	Antibiotic therapy at the time of the study or within less than 3 months at the time of the study
	Acute infectious disease of the mouth, throat, or salivary glands at the time of the study
	Active viral infections at the time of the study and in the time preceding the study