Author(s): Gerós-Mesquita, Ângela ; Carvalho-Pereira, Joana ; Franco-Duarte, Ricardo ; Alves, Armandino ; Gerós, H. ; Pais, Célia ; Sampaio, Paula
Date: 2020
Persistent ID: https://hdl.handle.net/1822/67142
Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Subject(s): Oral colonization; healthy individuals; yeasts; smoking habits; Candida albicans; cai genotype
In this study, 181 healthy individuals, including 29 couples, were analysed regarding oral yeast colonization using a culture-based approach. Results showed that 39% of the individuals were yeast carriers, 89% being colonized with Candida albicans, 5% with C. guilliermondi, 3% with C. lusitaniae and 3% with C. parapsilosis. Sixty-two percent of the couples had at least one member colonized. Colonization and CFU counts were higher in the couples´ group. Eighty percent of the volunteers were colonized with C. albicans strains with only one CAI genotype, while two but similar CAI genotypes inhabited the oral cavity of the remaining 20% individuals. The same CAI genotypes were found in 66.6% of the couples when both were colonized. Our results indicate that the intimacy among couples increases the probability of heavy cross-colonization, which is potentiated when one member of the couple is a smoker.
