Relationship between salivary histatin 5 levels and Candida CFU counts in healthy elderly.
OBJECTIVE
Few epidemiological studies have confirmed the antifungal activity of histatin 5 in saliva against Candida species. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between concentrations of histatin 5 and the number of cultivable Candida in saliva samples from elderly.


METHODS
Whole saliva samples were obtained from 124 elderly people, 65 years or older, living in a rural community. The concentrations of histatin 5 in saliva samples were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody. Total colony-forming units (CFUs) were counted on a selective medium for Candida. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the independent contribution of explanatory variables to Candida CFUs using age, sex, histatin 5 concentration and type of denture prosthesis as independent variables.


RESULTS
Saliva samples from 104 subjects (84%) were candidal colony-positive. The youngest group (65-69 years old) showed significantly smaller Candida CFU counts than those in the older group. The mean Candida CFU count of denture wearers was significantly higher than that of non-denture wearers. Significantly negative associations were found between Candida CFU counts and histatin 5 level in the oldest group (p < 0.05) and in the full-denture wearers (p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that Candida CFU counts were mostly associated with type of dentures, followed by histatin 5 concentration.


CONCLUSIONS
Possible activity of histatin 5 against Candida in whole saliva of elderly people was epidemiologically confirmed. The area covered by the prostheses was a strong factor associated with the Candida CFU count.
Sugimoto
Jun
J
Department of Preventive Dentistry, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Kita-13 Nishi-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, Japan.
Kanehira
Takashi
T
Mizugai
Hiroyuki
H
Chiba
Itsuo
I
Morita
Manabu
M
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D017266:Dental Prosthesis / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D054808:Histatins; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000627:therapeutic use
C068075:HTN3 protein, human; D054808:Histatins; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides