Speciation of Oral Candida Isolates from Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders, and Healthy Subjects Using Phenotypic and PCR-RFLP Methods

Candida species have been implicated in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral potentially malignant disorders due to their ability to nitrosylate N-benzyl methylamine. The presence of Candida in the epithelium may increase susceptibility to Candidal infection, leading to epithelial dysplasia and possible malignancy. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of different Candida species in patients with OSCC and OPMD compared to healthy individuals using genotypic methods such as PCR-RFLP. The aim was to determine the prevalence of Candida species in saliva samples from patients with OSCC, OPMD, and healthy controls using PCR-RFLP analysis. Saliva samples were collected from 97 patients with OSCC, 200 patients with OPMD, and 200 healthy controls. Candida species were isolated and identified using standard methods. The odds/risk ratio was calculated using Pearson’s Chi-square test, and the significance of Candidal carriage was determined by independent T-test. The prevalence of oral Candidal carriage was 72.2% in OSCC patients, 58% in OPMD patients, and 20.5% in healthy controls. The difference in Candidal carriage between OSCC and OPMD was statistically significant (p=0.0001). Non-albicans Candida species were more common than Candida albicans, with Candida krusei, Candida tropicalis, and Pichia anomala (formerly Candida pelliculosa) being the most prevalent. P. anomala was more commonly found in healthy controls. High odds and risk ratios indicate a strong association between Candida species and OSCC and OPMD.