Yeast colonization in patients treated with steroids

Candidas are opportunistic pathogens and long-term steroid use, broad-spectrum antibiotic use, long-term cancer treatments, extensive use of immunosuppressive therapies, oral device use and viral infections such as Covid-19 cause of 'oral candidiasis' in the oral cavity of patients. Mistakes made during the application of the inhaler and failure to take care of the mouth hygiene after inhalation cause of opportunistic pathogens such as Candida to multiply in the oral cavity and cause of the disease by accumulating in the oral cavity and disrupting the oral flora. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the oral yeast colonization of in patients treated and not treated with steroid therapy. 82 patients who were treated with inhaled steroids and 32 patients who were not treated with inhaled steroids were enrolled in the study. Fungi were cultured with SDA, Corn Meal Agar and CHROMagar with mucosal swab sample taken from the oral cavity of the patients and saliva sample collected from the patients. Species identification was made by evaluating microscopic examination, germ tube formation, chlamydiospore formation and colony color. There was no statistically significant difference in yeast growth and yeast diversity between patient groups treated and not treated inhaled steroids. In patients treated inhaled steroids, Candida albicans was dominant with a prevalence of 47.5%. Candida albicans was followed by Candida tropicalis 12.5%, Candida krusei 8.5%, and Candida parapsilosis 1.0%, respectively. In patients who did not treated inhaled steroids, Candida albicans was in the first place with a prevalence of 28.12%. Then, Candida parapsilosis 12.5%, Candida krusei 6.25%, Candida tropicalis 6.25%, Candida guilliermondii 3.12%. Oral care is the most important action to protect from oral candidiasis.