Oral distribution of Candida species and presence of oral lesions in Brazilian leprosy patients under multidrug therapy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Candida spp. and presence of oral lesions in Brazilian leprosy patients under multidrug therapy (MDT).


METHODS
Thirty-eight individuals (18 males and 20 females, median age 53 years) clinically and microbiologically diagnosed as leprosy (lepromatous variant), and under MDT for at least 45 days were studied. The control group constituted by 38 healthy individuals (median age 53.5), matched to the test group in relation to age, gender and oral conditions. Oral rinses were collected and the Candida identification was performed by phenotypic tests. The existence of Candida dubliniensis among the isolates was analyzed using a validated multiplex PCR assay. Twenty-nine leprosy patients were examined intra-orally for the presence of lesions. Data were analyzed by z- and Mann-Whitney tests (alpha = 5%).


RESULTS
Yeast carriage rate between leprosy patients (65.8%) and controls (47.4%) was similar (P = 0.099), and no significant difference between yeast counts was observed (P = 0.1004). Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species in both groups. In the leprosy group, Candida tropicalis and Candida parapsilosis were also identified. In the control group, we additionally identified Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata and Candida kefyr. Candida dubliniensis was not detected. No leprosy-related oral lesion was registered.


CONCLUSIONS
Within the limits of the study, we concluded that Brazilian leprosy patients under MDT showed similar levels of carriage and Candida species distribution in relation to the controls.
de Araújo Navas
Edna Aparecida Ferraz
EA
Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, São José dos Campos Dental School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Inocêncio
Aline Cássia
AC
Almeida
Janete Dias
JD
Back-Brito
Graziella Nuernberg
GN
Mota
Adolfo José
AJ
Jorge
Antonio Olavo Cardoso
AO
Querido
Silvia Maria Rodrigues
SM
Balducci
Ivan
I
Koga-Ito
Cristiane Yumi
CY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D041221:Candida glabrata / Q000302:isolation & purification; D041022:Candida tropicalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D004338:Drug Combinations; D007917:Leprostatic Agents