Low virulent oral Candida albicans strains isolated from smokers.

It is widely accepted that tabagism is a predisposing factor to oral candidosis and cumulate data suggest that cigarette compounds may increase candidal virulence. To verify if enhanced virulence occurs in Candida albicans from chronic smokers, a cohort of 42 non-smokers and other of 58 smokers (all with excellent oral conditions and without signs of candidosis) were swabbed on tong dorsum and jugal mucosa. Results showed that oral candidal loads do not differ between smoker and non-smokers. Activities of secreted aspartyl-protease (Sap), phospholipase, chondroitinase, esterase-lipase, and haemolysin secretions were screened for thirty-two C. albicans isolates. There were detected significant increments in phospholipasic and chondroitinasic activities in isolates from non-smokers. For other virulence factors, no differences between both cohorts were achieved.

Enhanced susceptibility of Candida albicans to chlorhexidine under anoxia

Aim: Periodontal pockets can be colonized not only by bacteria, but also by Candida albicans. However, its role in periodontitis is unknown. This study evaluated the inhibitory performance of chlorhexidine digluconate under normoxic and anoxic conditions against 16 strains of C. albicans from periodontal pockets and other 20 from the oral mucosa. Methods: Strains were grown in normoxia and anoxia to adapt themselves to the different atmospheric conditions. Microdilution-based assays were carried out to determine the minimum concentrations of chlorhexidine that may restrain the conditioned candidal strains, in normoxia (normoxic MIC) and anoxia (anoxic MIC). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of chlorhexidine on C. albicans under normoxic and anoxic conditions (α = 0.05). Results: The normoxic MIC of chlorhexidine varied broadly from 150 to 1200 µg/mL, whereas its anoxic MIC varied narrower from 2.34 to 37.5 µg/mL. Regarding the origins of strains, no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were found. Conclusions: These results indicate that anoxic environmental conditions, compatible with periodontal pockets, tend to enhance C. albicans susceptibility to chlorhexidine.

Avaliação clínica do aumento gengival induzido pela ciclosporina e nifedipina / Clinical evaluation of gingival enlargement induced by cyclosporin and ifedipine

O crescimento gengival induzido por drogas é um efeito colateral associado a ciclosporina (CsA) um imunossupressor; e aos bloqueadores de canais de cálcio como a nifedipina (Ni), um antinpertensivo. A severidade do crescimento gengival está relacionada com fatores de risco específicos que incluem pobre higiene oral, inflamação preexistente e a combinação de drogas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência e a severidade do aumento gengival em pacientes sob terapia com CsA e CsA/Ni e as possíveis relações entre o crescimento gengival e as variáveis idade, sexo, dose, concentração plasmática, tempo de uso da droga e o grau e crescimento gengival. Participaram do estudo 37 pacientes transplantados renais medicados com CsA (n=24) associada ou não a Ni (n=13). O crescimento gengival ocorreu em 14,45% das faces dentais avaliadas para os pacientes que ingeriam a CsA e em 10.06% no grupo que ingeria CsA/Ni. A concentração plasmática, o tempo de tratamento e as variáveis sexo e idade não demonstraram influenciar diretamente no grau de crescimento gengival. Concluiu-se que a prevalência e severidade do crescimento gengival foi similar em pacientes em terapia com a CsA ou CsA/Ni.