Prevalence of pathogenic yeasts and humoral antibodies to candida in diabetic patients.

The prevalence of oral yeasts and humoral precipitating antibodies to candida was estimated in 204 unselected diabetic patients (172 outpatients and 32 inpatients). Yeasts, mainly Candida albicans, were isolated from the mouths of 41% of the outpatients and precipitins were found in 17.5% although none of the patients had clinically overt candidiasis. The extent of oral yeast colonisation and incidence of antibodies was not related to their antidiabetic treatment or to the duration of their diabetes. It was, however, related to the blood glucose and urine sugar levels at the time they were sampled, the highest incidence being among the diabetic inpatients with high blood glucose levels at the time of sampling and the lowest among outpatients with normal blood glucose levels at the time of sampling. There was no such correlation when diabetic control over the previous 12-month period was considered.