Candidal carriage in diabetic patients: a microbiological study

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Oral Microbiology
• Diabetology

Background:

• Candida yeast species are opportunistic pathogens with unclear carriage rates in diabetic populations.
• Diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of various infections, including oral candidiasis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and identify Candida species in the oral cavities of patients with type I and type II diabetes mellitus and compare prevalence with non-diabetic controls.
• To evaluate the efficacy of CHROMagar medium for Candida speciation in oral specimens.

Main Methods:

• Saliva samples were collected from 60 subjects (20 type I diabetes, 20 type II diabetes, 20 controls).
• Samples were cultured on Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar (SDA) and then on CHROMagar for Candida identification and speciation.
• Fungal prevalence and specific Candida species were determined for each group.

Main Results:

• A total of 66.67% of samples showed fungal growth, with 82.50% of these being Candida species.
• Candida prevalence was highest in type I diabetes patients (48.48%), followed by type II diabetes (30.30%), and controls (21.21%).
• Candida albicans was the predominant species, with mixed cultures also identified, and CHROMagar proved effective for differentiation.

Conclusions:

• Diabetic patients harbor a higher prevalence of oral Candida yeast, indicating increased susceptibility to oral candidiasis.
• CHROMagar medium is a reliable and efficient tool for the rapid isolation and accurate identification of oral Candida species, including mixed cultures.