Oral Candida counts reflect host health and immune condition: A pilot study

Objective This study aims to investigate whether systemic health condition can be assessed by measuring oral Candida counts. Methods The correlation between Candida counts in the oral cavity and health conditions or immune statuses was assessed in three groups: healthy volunteers, patients with cancer undergoing treatment, and patients with autoimmune diseases who have undergone immune-suppressive treatment. Candida colonies were counted using oral rinse solution by polymerase chain reaction, and the relationship between subjective symptoms using a questionnaire, immunity measured by blood tests, and disease activity was investigated. The score of immunological vigor (SIV) was used to measure immunity, and the physician global assessment (PhGA) was used to assess disease activity. Results Candida counts were correlated with chills recorded in the healthy group (stepwise regression analysis, p < 0.05), SIV in the cancer group (stepwise regression analysis, p < 0.05), and PhGA in the autoimmune disease group stepwise regression analysis, p < 0.05). Conclusions The results of this study indicated the possibility that oral Candida counts may reflect the systemic health status of the host. However, the number of subjects in this study was small, more studies are needed to confirm the relationship between the salivary Candida count and the health and immune status.