title: Factors affecting the adherence of Candida albicans to human buccal epithelial cells in human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: Adherence to host surfaces is an essential prerequisite for colonization and infection. We compared the adherence of 15 oral isolates of Candida albicans harvested from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals and 12 isolates from HIV-free individuals to buccal epithelial cells (BECs) from HIV-free individuals, and the adherence of a reference strain of C. albicans to BECs from HIV-infected as well as HIV-free individuals. C. albicans from HIV-infected individuals showed adherence values similar to those from HIV-free individuals. The clinical and laboratory parameters of the subjects from whom the Candida were isolated did not correlate with adherence. A reference strain of C. albicans (GDH 1957), however, adhered more readily to BECs from HIV-infected individuals than to cells from an HIV-free cohort. Several variables were found to be associated with the adherence of C. albicans to BECs from HIV-infected individuals: use of zidovudine, antibacterials and antiparasitics was associated with increased adhesion, while haemophilia, heterosexuality, bisexuality, increased age, decreased CD4 + count and use of folate were associated with a decreased candidal adhesion (all P < 0.05). Our data suggest that the quality of BECs including their receptivity to Candida may play an important part in increasing the oral yeast carriage in HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, The Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Samaranayake
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000502:physiology*; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000382:microbiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*