Identification of Candida species in patients with denture stomatitis and evaluation of susceptibility to miconazole and photodynamic therapy

INTRODUCTION: Denture stomatitis (DS) is a common oral mucosal lesion in complete denture users. It is usually seen as limited to the area beneath an upper denture, characterized by focal or diffuse erythema of the denture-supporting tissues. The etiology of this lesion is multifactorial, although Candida infection is a common cause of disease. OBJECTIVE: To relate the DS with the presence of Candida, to identify the most prevalent species of Candida using CHROMagar Candida(r) medium and to verify the susceptibility of the isolates to miconazole and photodynamic therapy (PDT). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The sample was constituted of 45 complete denture users, 30 patients with clinical DS and 15 without disease. Palatal mucosa and dentures were frictioned with sterilized swabs and sown in CHROMagar Candida(r) medium to identify species of C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. krusei. After incubation and observation of the plaques, the yeasts were reisolated in Sabouraud Agar medium for verification of species susceptibility to miconazole and PDT. RESULT: Candida species were found in 53,33% of the patients with DS and in 6,67% of the patients without DS, considering all of the palatal mucosa (p=0,008) and denture (p=0,001). The most prevalent species were C. albicans (36,67% and 53,33%), followed by C. tropicalis (13,33% and 16,67%) and C. krusei (13,33 and 6,67%), on mucosal and denture, respectively. The samples were more sensitive to miconazole than PDT (p<0,0001). CONCLUSION: There was an association between the presence of Candida and DS, and C. albicans the most prevalent species. Miconazole provided better results in the elimination of in vitro colonies of Candida compared with PDT.