Prevalence and antifungal resistance profile of Candida spp. oral isolates from patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective

The goal of the study was to measure the prevalence of Candida spp. in the oral cavity of patients with diabetes types 1 and 2 when compared to healthy individuals and to study antifungal resistance profile of the isolates.

Design

There were 162 subjects in the study: diabetes type 1 (n = 39); control group 1 (n = 50): healthy individuals matched in gender, age, and oral conditions to diabetes type 1 patients; diabetes type 2 (n = 37); control group 2 (n = 36) who were matched to each patient of the diabetes type 2 group. Stimulated saliva was collected and isolates were identified with phenotypic tests. The presence of C. dubliniensis was determined by multiplex PCR.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in Candida spp. frequency between the diabetes 1 group and its control (p = 0.443) nor between the diabetes 2 group and its control (p = 0.429). C. albicans was the most frequently isolated yeast in all groups. In the diabetes groups, C. stellatoidea, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. lipolytica, C. glabrata, and C. krusei were also identified. Additionally, in control groups, C. kefyr was also detected. None of the isolates were resistant to amphotericin B and flucytosine. A low percentage of the isolates were resistant to ketoconazole.

Conclusions

No differences were detected in colonization of Candida spp. oral isolates from type 1 and type 2 diabetes when compared to matched controls. The antifungal resistance of Candida spp. isolates for ketoconazole from type 1 diabetes patients was significantly higher than that of its matched control.