Detection of Candida by calcofluor white.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of calcofluor white (CFW) is compared to Gram stain and periodic acid-Schiff in detection of Candida in oral precancer and cancer.


METHODS
The study group consisted of patients with precancer (n = 45), cancer (n = 45) and control group (n = 45). Presence of Candida was confirmed by culture inoculation along with a germ tube and carbohydrate fermentation test. The cytopathologic smears were analyzed by Papanicolaou-CFW and Gram staining, whereas, tissue sections were stained by periodic acid-Schiff and CFW staining.


RESULTS
Candida albicans was the predominant species identified. A highly significant association of Candida was seen more often in cancer than in precancer. Both in cytology and histopathology Candida detection by CFW was higher. In precancer it was 48.88% in smears and 40% in tissue sections, whereas, in cancer 60% in smears and 55.55% in histopathology.


CONCLUSIONS
Among the various diagnostic tools used in the present study, the use of CFW is seen to be a simple, effective, rapid and reliable method, both in cytopathology and histopathology.
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Kamineni Institute of Dental Sciences, Nalgonda, Andhra Pradesh, India. rashmi_bhavasar@rediffmail.com
Rashmi S K
RS
Bhavasar
Santosh Kumar
SK
Goje
Anant Arunrao
AA
Takalkar
Sindhu M
SM
Ganvir
Vinay K
VK
Hazarey
Suchitra R
SR
Gosavi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000378:metabolism*; D002175:Candida / Q000378:metabolism*; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005840:Gentian Violet; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009914:Oral Submucous Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D010619:Phenazines; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D055815:Young Adult
D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; C035863:Gram's stain; D010619:Phenazines; C007061:C.I. Fluorescent Brightening Agent 28; D005840:Gentian Violet