Abstract
Oral candidiasis is prevalent among older people due to predisposing factors such as impaired immune defenses, medications and denture use. An increasing number of older people live in rest home facilities and it is unclear how this institutionalized living affects the quantity and type of fungi colonizing these people’s oral cavities. Smears and swabs of the palate and tongue and saliva samples were taken from participants residing in rest homes (RH; n = 20) and older people living in their own homes (OH; n = 20). Yeast in samples were quantified and identified by culturing on CHROMagar Candida and sequencing the ITS2 region of rDNA. A higher proportion of RH residents had Candida hyphae present in smears compared to OH participants (35% vs. 30%) although this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.74). RH residents had, on average, 23 times as many yeast per mL saliva as OH participants (p = 0.01). Seven yeast species were identified in OH samples and only five in RH samples, with Candida albicans and Candida glabrata being the most common species isolated from both participant groups. The results indicate that older people living in aged-care facilities were more likely to have candidiasis and have a higher yeast carriage rate than similarly aged people living at home. This may be due to morbidities which led to the need for residential care and/or related to the rest home environment.
Highlights
The oral cavity is home to many hundreds of species of microorganisms
In this study the types, and quantities, of yeast colonizing the oral surfaces of older people living in rest homes were compared with those in people living in their own homes
Three oral sites living in rest homes were compared with those in people living in their own homes
Summary
The oral cavity is home to many hundreds of species of microorganisms The majority of these microbes are present in biofilms on the various oral surfaces. While Candida albicans is the most prevalent species [3,4], non-albicans Candida species that can be found in healthy individuals include Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida krusei [5] Other species such as Candida guilliermondii, Candida kefyr, Candida rugosa, Candida dubliniensis and Candida famata have been reported, but less frequently [6,7]. A preliminary clinical diagnosis of candidiasis can be made based on the medical history of the individual, their symptoms and an oral examination.
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