title: Candida spp. colonization and serum anticandidal antibody levels in patients with chronic urticaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of Candida infections in the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria (CU) is debatable. Objective. In this study, we investigated the role of Candida spp. colonization and infection in patients with CU.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 38 patients with CU and a control group of 42 healthy individuals consented for inclusion in the study. Stool and oral specimens from all participants were cultured and evaluated quantitatively. Candida albicans ELISA IgG/IgM/IgA test kits were used for the detection of antibodies against C. albicans in the sera of patients and controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Yeasts were isolated from the stools of 60.5% of the patients and 50.0% of the controls (P = 0.78, Student's t-test) and from oral specimens in 47.4% and 42.9% (P = 0.85, Student's t-test), respectively. Colony counts in the positive specimens of both groups were not significantly different. IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies were positive in 36.8%, 23.8% and 5.3% of the patients and in 42.9%, 19.1% and 4.8% of the controls, respectively. The qualitative and quantitative results of the antibodies were not significantly different between the two groups (chi2 test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intestinal and oral colonization of Candida spp. and serological evidence of Candida infections were not significantly different between patients with CU and controls. Claims of triggering of CU by Candida spp. should be explored in studies that measure allergic reactivity to Candida, and also in those that include eradication therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey. cem.ergon@deu.edu.tr
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ergon
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: iĺknur
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yućesoy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oźkan
mesh_terms: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D014581:Urticaria / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal