Screening for Candida Species and their Effects in the Oral Mucosa of Diabetic Patients in Khartoum Hospital

Abstract

This is a descriptive hospital base study conducted in Khartoum state, during the period from December 2009 to June 2010. This study aimed to identify the frequency of Candida species in the oral cavity of diabetic patients in Khartoum state. The samples were collected from 550 individuals divided as follows: 500 specimens were collected from diabetic patients as case group, their ages ranged between 11 to 85 years. Other 50 specimens were collected from non diabetic individuals as a control group. Buccal smears were prepared fixed and stained using Papanicolaou stain and examined under light microscope. The cytological assessment among study group revealed the following findings: 9.4% bacterial infection, 7.4% oral candidiasis, 0.6% viral infection, 10.2% non specific inflammatory changes and 0.4% keratinization, with significant relation between cytological changes and diabetes mellitus (p .value < 0.05), these changes depend on the type and duration of diabetes mellitus and age of patients. The study found a significant relation between diabetes mellitus and oral candidiasis (p value < 0.05) and these relations depend on the type and duration of Diabetes mellitus. This study concluded that oral candidiasis associated with diabetes mellitus and causing cytological changes in the oral cavity of diabetic patients; these changes depend on the type and duration of Diabetes mellitus .