[Candida albicans in leukokeratotic lesions of oral mucosa]

Abstract

The potential presence of Candida albicans in oral leukokeratotic lesions, also entailing the need of additional antimiotic therapy, has been quite extensively discussed in literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of Candida albicans isolates in subjects with oral leukoplakia as well as of candidal leukoplakia according to oral mucosa regions. The study included 60 subjects, mean age 46 years. A study group had 28 subjects with oral leukoplakia, whereas a control group comprised subjects free of any pathological alterations of oral mucosa. In all subjects, a clinical oral examination was performed and material for microbiological analysis taken. Following cultivation and incubation, tests of identification and microbiological analysis were carried out on the material thus grown. Results of the study revealed that Candida albicans was present in 67.9% of subjects with oral leukoplakia, which is the highest percentage reported on so far, and in 28.1% of subjects without any pathologic alterations of oral mucosa. The prevalence of candidal leukoplakia was found to be highest in oral mucosa, followed by lips, tongue and sublingual mucosa. Thus, these findings appear to clearly confirm the need of additional use of antimicotics, along with antikeratotic therapy of leukoplakia.