title: Effect of photodynamic therapy with two photosensitizers on Candida albicans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral candidiasis (OC) is an opportunistic infection of the oral cavity most commonly caused by Candida albicans (C. albicans). Considering the drawbacks of standard treatments with antifungal agents, this study sought to assess the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with methylene blue (MB) and indocyanine green (ICG) photosensitizers against C. albicans.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this in-vitro, experimental study, 130 samples of C. albicans standard suspensions were subjected to various combinations of MB and ICG photosensitizers with and without laser irradiation with different exposure parameters, nystatin and chlorhexidine (CHX) in 13 groups of 10. Samples were cultured in microplates containing Sabouraud dextrose agar medium and colony forming units (CFUs) were counted after 24h of incubation at 37°C. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 19.0, one-way ANOVA and Tamhane's test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The maximum number of CFUs was seen in the control group (mean of 214,200CFUs with a log value of 5.32) while the minimum values were noted in the laser (808nm and 100Hz PRR) plus ICG (mean of 13,460CFUs and log value of 4.12) and nystatin (mean of 13,940CFUs and log value of 4.14) groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limitations of this in vitro study, the results revealed that laser application (808nm, 100Hz PRR) plus ICG caused a significant reduction in C. albicans CFUs.
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine department, Islamic Azad Universty-Dental Branch, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: drarashazizi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine department, Islamic Azad Universty-Dental Branch, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: Amirzadehzohreh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Amirzadeh
authors.affiliation: Microbiology department, Islamic Azad University-Dental Branch, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: maryamrezai_51@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezai
authors.affiliation: Prosthodontics department, Islamic Azad University-Dental Branch-Tehran-Iran. Electronic address: drshlawaf@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lawaf
authors.affiliation: Biophysics department, Islamic Azad University, Science and research Branch, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: arash_dds@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimi
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents
keywords: Candida albicans; Laser; Photodynamic therapy; Photosensitizing agents