Incidence of oropharyngeal candidosis in stem cell transplant (SCT) patients.

ABSTRACT

Eighty persons with haematological malignancies receiving stem cell transplantation (SCT) were examined over a 24 months period. Hyposalivation, a common complaint in patients treated by intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy can predispose to oral candidal colonisation as well. This study was focused on correlation between the fungal colonisation of the oral cavity and the total unstimulated saliva flow rate of 80 patients with haematological malignancies before and after stem cell transplantation and in addition, on their oral health state. Despite the fact that prior to being involved in the transplantation programme, the patients were subjected to dental examination and decayed teeth were found in 20 out of 80 patients (25%). From the 2233 different oropharyngeal specimens fungi were isolated before conditioning from 16 patients (20%), and during aplasia from 19 patients (23.7%). Objective xerostomia (unstimulated total saliva flow rate < or = 0.1 ml/min) was detected in 28 patients (35%). Stem cell transplant patients with pretransplant mouth dryness had higher incidence of Candida albicans and other fungal colonisation than those with normal saliva secretion.