Characterization and Virulence of Candida Isolated from Children with Dental Caries and Its Susceptibility to Various Antimicrobial Agents

Abstract

Candida is known to be associated with early colonization of cariogenic microorganisms leading to dental caries and there is a need to determine the effectiveness of various chemotherapeutic agents against it. The study is aimed to isolate, characterize Candida from the dental plaque of children with dental caries, to study its virulence factors and the antimicrobial activity of coconut oil, probiotics, 0.2% chlorhexidine and ketoconazole on C. albicans. Samples were collected using sterile cotton swabs from children with dental caries and streaked on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar plates and incubated at 37°C for 24 h. Candidal colonies were isolated, species identified, and virulence factors tested, and its susceptibility to 0.2% chlorhexidine, probiotics, coconut oil, and ketoconazole was determined using disc diffusion method. C. albicans was the predominant species isolated, and virulence factors such as phospholipase, hemolysin, germ tube, and hyphal formation were seen. The mean zone of inhibition for chlorhexidine was found to be 21.8 mm, for coconut oil it was 16.8 mm, for probiotics it was 13.5 mm, and for ketoconazole it was 22.3 mm. The difference between the groups was not statistically significant. Thus chlorhexidine and coconut oil were found to exhibit significant antimicrobial activity which is comparable with ketoconazole.