Cinética da colonização bucal por Candida spp. durante a corticoterapia tópica

Abstract

Oral candidiasis is an important side effect of oral topical corticotherapy. The purpose of the present study is to assess oral mucosa colonization by 5 Candida species during topical corticotherapy and to investigate Candida spp. pathogenicity and in vitro susceptibility to fluconazole and amphotericin B. Oral swabbing samples from 11 symptomatic oral lichen planus patients were collected before (day 0) and at days 7 and 30 of topical corticotherapy. Conventional methods for identification and quantification of Candida species, quantitative PCR (qPCR), pathogenicity tests and in vitro susceptibility to fluconazole and amphotericin B assays were performed. Candida albicans was the most prevalent species in the oral mucosa during corticotherapy. Increased number of colony-forming units (CFU) and Candida albicans DNA copies were observed at day 30 of corticotherapy, despite no clinical evidence of candidiasis in any patient. CFU count of Candida species was less sensitive than qPCR, but both methods positively correlated. No resistance to fluconazole or amphotericin B was observed. Oral topical corticoid was associated with increase of Candida spp., in particular, C. albicans, in the oral cavity, independent of clinical manifestation of the disease.