Colonization of Candida: prevalence among tongue‐pierced and non‐pierced immunocompetent adults |
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Authors: | Y Zadik S Burnstein E Derazne V Sandler C Ianculovici T Halperin |
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Institution: | 1. The Zrifin Central Dental Clinic, Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Jerusalem, Israel;2. The Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Jerusalem, Israel;3. The Central Medical Laboratories, Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Zrifin, Israel;4. Medical Corps Headquarters, Israel Defense Forces, Tel Hashomer, Israel |
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Abstract: | Oral Diseases (2010) 16 , 176–175 Objective: To evaluate the colonization of Candida at the tongue‐piercing site of immunocompetent individuals. Subjects and methods: Swabs samples were obtained from the anterior lingual mucosa of healthy young adults with tongue piercing (N = 115); 86 subjects with (non‐intra‐oral) facial piercing served as a comparison group. Candida colonization was examined by light microscopy after 5‐day incubation. Positive specimens were re‐cultured on Chromagar?Candida plates for species identifying. Results: Candida colonization was more prevalent among tongue‐pierced (20.0%) than facial‐pierced subjects (9.4%; P = 0.048). All colonies were of Candida albicans. No difference was found between current tongue ornament wearers (21.2%) and non‐wearers (19.5%; P = 0.803). In multivariate analysis, the only significantly positive influencing factors on colonization were tongue piercing (P = 0.034) and daily smoking of more than 10 cigarettes (P = 0.024). Conclusions: Piercing of the tongue was found to be a risk factor for colonization of Candida albicans, without an influence of whether or not an ornament is in place. |
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Keywords: | oral piercing fungal infection candidiasis candidosis oral hygiene compliance |
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