CONTRIBUTION OF THE MYCOLOGY LABORATORY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ORAL CANDIDOSIS IN IMMUNODEPRESSED PATIENTS

The authors report a series of 49 cases of oral candidiasis including 20 symptomatic, listed on 100 immunocompromised patients collected at the Mohammed V Military Hospital in Rabat over a 12-month period. The objective of this work was to define the risk factors that lay the foundation for fungal proliferation in the mouth, through early detection in asymptomatic or non-asymptomatic patients. Mycological analysis in the laboratory was based on direct examination and culture on Sabouraud chloramphenicol medium with and without cycloheximide, then identification of the fungal species by API 20 C AUX galleries and the VITEK 2 compact® . The prevalence of oral candidiasis was 49%. The mean age of the patients was 54 years with a sex ratio M / F of 1.04. The contributing factors identified were hyposialia (p = 0.0337), corticosteroid therapy (p = 0.025 and dental removable prostheses (p = 0.000791). The fungal species identified were Candida albicans (79%), Candida dubliniensis (7%), Candida ciferrii (4%), Candida famata (4%), Candida glabrata (4%) and Candida lusitaniae (2%).

Conclusion: The oral localization of candidiasis remains very frequent in immunocompromised subjects. Their treatment involves first of all the search for contributing factors and early detection in the presence of asymptomatic forms that only mycological analysis can identify the variety.