Oral Candida carriage of patients attending a dental clinic in Braga, Portugal.

BACKGROUND The ability of the Candida species to colonize surfaces can be considered as a risk factor for oral infection. AIMS To establish oral Candida carriage in patients attending a dental clinic in Braga, Portugal. METHODS A total of 97 patients were analysed. Swab samples were collected and directly cultured onto CHROMagar Candida. Representative yeasts were identified by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS From the samples analysed 54.6% (n=53) were Candida positive, and Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species, accounting for 79% of all the species identified. Non-C. albicans Candida (NCAC) species recovered included Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, and Candida guilliermondii. There was a lack of association between the presence of C. albicans or NCAC species, and age, gender, or prostheses wearing in this population. In 17% of the cases (n=9), polymicrobial cultures, with two different Candida species, were identified. CONCLUSIONS This study shows a high Candida carriage rate among this population, thus pointing to the relevance of an accurate diagnostic approach in Candida species identification.