Identification of Candida albicans types related to healthy and pathological oral mucosa.

This study comprised 100 healthy dentate adults and 53 patients with either chronic erythematous oral candidosis or oral leukoplakic lesions. The presence of yeasts was determined by microscopical examination of PAS-stained smears and by culture. Biopsy material was obtained from all lesions. The isolated yeasts were identified to species level. Strain phenotypes of 147 Candida albicans isolates were determined on the basis of the ODDS & ABBOTT procedure (25, 26). Yeasts were found in the mouth of healthy dentate individuals both by culture and by smears. The identification of hyphae in healthy mucosa indicates that the presence of these structures is not an unequivocal sign of candidal infection. The results support the view that tobacco smoking may be a predisposing factor for candidal infection. Also, the results have shown an association between the occurrence of yeasts and the type of leukoplakic lesions. Finally, the strain differentiation has indicated an oral mycoflora in patients with candidal lesions disappearing after antimycotic treatment which was more homogeneous in composition than in patients with irreversible lesions; furthermore, certain strains may possess properties which may be important in the development of pathological conditions and premalignant changes.

Miconazole chewing gum for treatment of chronic oral candidosis.

A chewing gum containing the antifungal drug miconazole may be convenient for topical treatment of oral candidosis. Therefore a trial was performed to examine the effect and tolerance of miconazole chewing gum in comparison with miconazole gel in the treatment of oral candidosis. The study group consisted of 32 patients with oral candidosis harboring yeasts, predominantly Candida spp. Half of the patients chewed one piece of chewing gum (dose: 3.6 mg of miconazole) four times daily; the other half dispersed a 2% gel (dose: 50 mg of miconazole) in the oral cavity four times daily. After 6 wk of treatment, there was no clinical evidence of yeast infection in either of the two groups. No significant differences between the two groups were found in clinical, mycologic, and cytologic investigations conducted after 3 and 6 wk of treatment or at the follow-up examination 4 wk after termination of the treatment. The results indicate that miconazole released from chewing gum is as effective as miconazole gel. The chewing gum reduced the dosage of miconazole for treatment of oral candidosis, and the patients approved the chewing gum as a pleasant medicament.

Epstein-Barr virus latent and replicative gene expression in oral hairy leukoplakia.

Oral hairy leukoplakia is an epithelial lesion of the tongue associated with productive infection by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). However, no data concerning the pattern of EBV latent gene expression have been reported, and it remains unresolved whether true latent infection occurs in basal cell layers of oral hairy leukoplakia. We have studied six cases of oral hairy leukoplakia using monoclonal antibody immunohistology for EBV latent--EB nuclear antigen (EBNA) 1, EBNA 2 and latent membrane protein 1 (LMP 1); immediate-early (BZLF1); and replicative (EA, VCA, MA) proteins, and for the EBV-receptor (CD21 antigen). EBV DNA was demonstrated by nucleic acid in situ hybridization. Mid- to upper-zone keratinocytes contained EBV DNA and co-expressed EBNA 1, EBNA 2 (5 of 6 cases), LMP 1, BZLF1 protein, EA, VCA and MA. No EBV genome or gene expression could be demonstrated in basal or parabasal cells. Spinous keratinocytes were labelled by anti-CD21 antibodies HB5 and B2, but did not express the EBV-receptor as defined by reactivity with OKB7. The co-expression of latent and replicative infection-associated antigens is striking, indicating possible functional roles for latent proteins during the productive cycle. Our results suggest that oral hairy leukoplakia is caused by repeated direct infection of upper epithelial cells with virus from saliva or adjacent replicatively infected cells, rather than by a latent EBV infection of basal epithelial cells with a differentiation-dependent switch to productive infection as previously proposed.

[Carcinoma in situ and carcinoma in patients with chronic oral candidiasis]. / Carcinoma in situ og karcinom hos to patienter med kronisk oral candidiasis.

Chronic oral candidiasis is generally not considered a premalignant condition. We report on two patients with carcinoma in situ and carcinoma in the soft palate, probably preceded by long lasting chronic Candida infection. The first patient was a 56-year-old woman who suffered from disturbances in the calcium and potassium metabolism and high blood pressure due to a previous goiter operation during which the parathyroids had been removed. She also suffered from bronchitis and had been smoking 12 cigarettes a day for many decades. For several years she had had more or less constant symptoms from airway infections. Increasing symptoms from the throat had developed 2 years before referral and, in this period, she had been in constant antifungal therapy with no effect on the symptoms. Objectively, the entire soft palate, uvula and the palatoglossal arches were fiery red with whitish plaques which were not removable (Fig. 1). A biopsy revealed severe dysplasia and focal carcinoma in situ Subsequently, the lesion in the soft palate was partly removed by laser surgery followed by radiation therapy over a period of 2 month. One year later there was no signs of recurrence (Fig. 4). The second patient, a 53-year-old healthy woman, was referred because of difficulties in eating due to pain in the throat which had existed for 2 years. Without any effect on the symptoms, she had had antifungal therapy for 4 weeks. The patient had been smoking 15 cigarettes a day for many years. Objectively, an area with whitish plaques and nodules on an erythematous background was found (Fig. 5).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Oral hairy leukoplakia in three hemophiliacs with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Oral manifestations in AIDS, in AIDS-related complex, and in patients with antibodies to the AIDS-causing virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), have been described previously. One of these manifestations, oral hairy leukoplakia, is apparently specifically associated with HIV infection and has until recently been reported in homosexual men only. This article demonstrates, among European patients, the occurrence of hairy leukoplakia in three patients belonging to another risk group for AIDS, namely HIV-infected hemophiliacs.