Oral Candida carriage, quantification, and species characterization in oral submucous fibrosis patients and healthy individuals.

AIM: To determine the prevalence of oral Candida carriage, candidal quantification, and various subtypes of Candida species in oral submucous fibrosis patients and healthy individuals.

METHODS

The study comprised 30 clinically-diagnosed and -staged oral submucous fibrosis patients aged 20-40 years, and 20 age- and sex-matched controls. Buccal mucosa was sampled by sterile swab technique. Each sample was inoculated on Sabouraud's dextrose agar and CHROMagar culture media. Candida species identification was done using the KB006 Candida identification kit.

RESULTS

Eleven (36.67%) cases in the study group, and two (10%) cases in the control group, yielded Candida on culture. The value of CFU/mL increased with an increased duration of betel quid chewing habit. All Candida-positive oral submucous fibrosis patients complained of a burning sensation. Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis were the most common species in the oral submucous fibrosis cases. Candida dubliniensis was isolated in both the study and control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our observations in this study affirm that oral submucous fibrosis favors the colonization of Candida. Mucosal alterations due to the underlying disease process or betel quid chewing, coupled with other factors, might lead to candidal colonization, even in the absence of clinically-related mycotic manifestations.