Original scientific paper

Adherency of Candida Albicans to Oral Epithelium in Diabetics

Borka Obradović ; Dom zdravlja Bosanska Krupa
Ana Cekić-Arambašin ; School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

A liability to Candida albicans colonization in the mouth o f diabetic patients points to the possible role o f adherence o f this fu n gus
to oral epithelial cells in the genesis o f pathologic processes affecting
the gingiva. This study was conducted to assess the colonization o f Candida albicans in the oral cavity, the adherence o f Candida albicans to oral epithelial cells and the role o f adherence o f this fungus in the onset o f pathologic processes and symptoms on the gingiva o f subjects suffering from diabetes mellitus. The study was carried out in 76 patients with diabetes mellitus type I. The state o f oral cavity was assessed by clinical examination. The fungi were determined by culture on Saboraud glucose agar. Verification o f isolates was performed by the tests o f germination, fermentation and assimilation o f carbohydrates. Candida albicans adherence was determined on diabetic subjects’ epithelial cells and compared to epithelial cells o f normal subjects. Candida albicans adherence to oral epithelial cells was tested according to Kimura and Ray et al.
Results showed the presence o f gingivitis in 51.3% o f diabetic
patients, with 13.24% referring to oral candidiasis. The symptoms
o f xerostomia were observed in 81.6%, followed by glosso- and stomatopyrosis. The severity o f xerostomia increased with the duration o f diabetes mellitus, whereas the occurrence o f gingivitis was present in all diabetic patients regardless o f the duration o f the disease. Candida albicans was isolated in 51.3% o f diabetics. Isolation o f the fungi revealed the presence o f oral Candida albicans in 82% o f the fungi isolated in total. The number o f adhered Candida albicans blastospores per 100 diabetic epithelial cells was 732 ± 40, whereas the number o f adhered blastospores per 100 healthy epithelial cells was 278 ± 28. The percentage o f Candida albicans adherence was higher (86.3%) in diabetic than in normal control subjects. A relationship between the adherence, and the occurrence o f pathologic oral symptoms and gingivitis was thus confirmed.

Keywords

Candida albicans; adherence; epithelial cells; diabetes mellitus

Hrčak ID:

100562

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/100562

Publication date:

15.3.1992.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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