ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to isolate and identify Candida species from the oral cavity of denture wearers with denture-related stomatitis who were attended at the University Federal of Pará (Belém City, Pará State, Brazil). A total of 36 denture wearers with denture-related stomatitis were included, and type I (50%), type II (33%) and type III (17%) stomatitis were observed. Candida spp. were isolated from 89% of the cases and included five different Candida species. C. albicans was the most frequently recovered species (78% of the cases), followed by C. famata and C. tropicalis. We observed a significant association between Candida species isolation and unsatisfactory denture condition (p = 0.0017). Our results demonstrated the highly frequency of Candida species isolation in denture wearers with denture-related stomatitis and showed the relationship between these species and poor denture maintenance.

OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a relação entre fatores funcionais e qualitativos no desenvolvimento da estomatite protética (EP) (de acordo com a classificação de Newton) em usuários de dentadura acrílica residentes no norte do Brasil.MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Um total de 99 pacientes, que usavam dentadura superior de resina acrílica parcial ou total, foi incluído neste estudo. Os participantes preencheram um formulário de dados epidemiológicos, que incluiu gênero, idade, fatores locais (hábitos de higiene, retirar a dentadura ao dormir, uso de colutório, condição atual da dentadura, idade da dentadura) e fatores funcionais (dimensão vertical de repouso, dimensão vertical de oclusão, oclusão, retenção, estabilidade estática e dinâmica). Para detectar leveduras, amostras foram coletadas da superfície interna da dentadura e da mucosa palatal em contato com esta. Posteriormente, as amostras foram cultivadas em ágar Sabouraud dextrose, observando-se características macro e microscópicas.RESULTADO: No presente estudo, não foi encontrada relação significante entre gênero e início da doença. Baseada na classificação de Newton, 36,3% dos pacientes apresentaram EP e 89,0% foram colonizados por leveduras; destes indivíduos, 50% tiveram lesões tipo I, 33,3% tiveram lesões tipo II e 16,6% tiveram lesões tipo III. Todos os fatores locais e qualitativos, exceto o uso de colutório, foram clinicamente relevantes para o desenvolvimento da doença.CONCLUSÃO: Estomatite protética em usuários de dentadura do norte do Brasil foi multifatorial, associando fatores locais, funcionais e microbiológicos.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship among functional and qualitative factors in the development of denture stomatitis (DS) (according to Newton's classification) in acrylic-based denture wearers residents from northern Brazil.MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 99 patients who wore partial or total acrylic resin-based upper dentures were included in this study. The subjects completed an epidemiological data form that includes the patient's gender, age, local factors (hygiene habits, remove denture to sleep, use of mouthwash, present condition of the denture, age of the denture) and functional factors (vertical dimension at rest, vertical dimension of occlusion, occlusion, retention, and static and dynamic stability). To detect yeasts, samples were collected from the inner surface of the dentures and from the palatal mucosa in contact with it. Subsequently, the samples were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar, observing macro and microscopic characteristics.RESULT: In the present study, we did not find any significant relationship between the gender and disease onset. Based on the Newton classification, 36.3% of the patients presented with DS and 89.0% were colonized by yeasts; of these subjects, 50% had type I lesions, 33.3% had type II lesions, and 16.6% had type III lesions. All of the qualitative and local factors, except the use of mouthwash, were clinically relevant to the development of disease.CONCLUSION: Denture stomatitis in denture users in northern Brazil was multifactorial, involving local, functional and microbiological factors.

Introduction The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil on germ tube formation by Candida albicans isolated from denture wearers. Methods Ten C. albicans isolates recovered from denture wearers were tested using 10% fetal bovine serum with or without 4% R. officinalis essential oil. Results The essential oil from R. officinalis completely inhibited germ tube formation in the investigated C. albicans isolates. Conclusions The results demonstrate that the essential oil of R. officinalis modulates C. albicans pathogenicity through its primary virulence factor (i.e., germ tube formation was suppressed).

Dermatophytosis is caused by a dermatophyte fungus that affects the stratum corneum and keratinized tissue. Dermatophyte fungus has been reported worldwide as the causative agent of dermatophytosis, but the etio-epidemiological aspects of these mycoses in the state of Pará remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe the etio-epidemiological profile of dermatophytosis diagnosed in patients at the Evandro Chagas Institute from May 2005 to June 2006. A total of 494 patients were admitted, and their samples were collected, submitted for direct microscopic examination using 20% KOH and cultured in Sabouraud and Mycosel medium. The identification was based in macro and microscopic characteristics. Direct examinations were positive in 13% (66/494) of the patients, and agent isolation by cultivation of the biological sample was successful in 4% (20/494), with a high prevalence of T. mentagrophytes (40%; 8/20). Dermatophytosis was more frequent in women (58%; 38/66). Fifty-two percent (21/38) of the cases were children with an average age of 8 years. The most frequent clinical presentation was Tinea corporis (55%, 36/66). For the cases in which the dermatophyte agent was not isolated, we discuss the factors that may be interfering with isolation. Tinea corporis occurred more frequently observed when T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum were the major etiologic agents.

Paracoccidioidomycosis is diagnosed from the direct observation of the causative agent, but serology can facilitate and decrease the time required for diagnosis. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of serum sample inactivation on the performance of the latex agglutination test (LAT) for detecting antibodies against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The sensitivity of LAT from inactivated or non-inactivated samples was 73% and 83%, respectively and the LAT selectivity was 79% and 90%, respectively. The LAT evaluated here was no more specific than the double-immunodiffusion assay. We suggest the investigation of other methods for improving the LAT, such as the use of deglycosylated antigen.

INTRODUÇÃO: Infecções fúngicas oportunistas em hospedeiros imunocomprometidos são causadas por espécies de Candida, cuja maioria das infecções se deve a Candida albicans. Entretanto, o patógeno emergente Candida dubliniensis demonstra várias características fenotípicas em comum com C. albicans, tais como produção de tubo germinativo e clamidósporos, solicitando atenção por desenvolver resistência in vitro estável ao fluconazol. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a performance da identificação bioquímica na diferenciação entre C. albicans e Candida dubliniensis, analisando fenotipicamente leveduras previamente identificadas como C. albicans. MÉTODOS: Setenta e oito isolados identificados como C. albicans pelo sistema API ID 32C foram cultivados em ágar Sabouraud dextrose a 30°C por 24-48h e em seguida inoculados em caldo hipertônico Sabouraud e agar tabaco. RESULTADOS: Nossos resultados mostraram que 17 (21,5%) isolados tiveram o crescimento inibido no caldo hipertônico Sabouraud, característica fenotípica inconsistente para C. albicans neste meio de cultura. Entretanto, os resultados observados em ágar tabaco mostraram que somente 9 (11,4%) dos isolados inibidos produziram colônias características de C. dubliniensis (colônias rugosas, marrom-amarelada com fragmentos de hifas e abundantes clamidósporos). CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados obtidos sugerem que este é um instrumento simples para triagem entre leveduras de C. albicans e não-albicans, bem como confirmação de identificação automatizada.

INTRODUCTION: Opportunistic fungal infections in immunocompromised hosts are caused by Candida species, and the majority of such infections are due to Candida albicans. However, the emerging pathogen Candida dubliniensis demonstrates several phenotypic characteristics in common with C. albicans, such as production of germ tubes and chlamydospores, calling attention to the development of stable resistance to fluconazole in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of biochemistry identification in the differentiating between C. albicans and C. dubliniensis, by phenotyping of yeast identified as C. albicans. METHODS: Seventy-nine isolates identified as C. albicans by the API system ID 32C were grown on Sabouraud dextrose agar at 30°C for 24-48h and then inoculated on hypertonic Sabouraud broth and tobacco agar. RESULTS: Our results showed that 17 (21.5%) isolates were growth-inhibited on hypertonic Sabouraud broth, a phenotypic trait inconsistent with C. albicans in this medium. However, the results observed on tobacco agar showed that only 9 (11.4%) of the growth-inhibited isolates produced characteristic colonies of C. dubliniensis (rough colonies, yellowish-brown with abundant fragments of hyphae and chlamydospores). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that this method is a simple tool for screening C. albicans and non-albicans yeast and for verification of automated identification.