Yeast colonization of oral mucosa in oncological patients refered to chemotherapy in Maringá – PR (BRAZIL) - DOI: 10.4025/cienccuidsaude.v7i0.6567

Abstract

Antineoplasic chemotherapy is a therapeutic resource used worldwide by more than 10 million people every year. Among its complications are mucositis and neutropenia, which predispose those patients to opportunistic infections. Previous colonization of the mouth by Candida genus yeasts is associated with an increased risk of both localized and systemic infections, the latter of which have a high mortality index (30 to 40%). This study, of quantitative and descriptive character, had as objective to investigate the mouth yeast microbiota of patients with cancer, through quantitative culture, colony count and identification, at the beginning of chemotherapy in the Cancer Hospital of Maringá. From 26 patients examined, 20 (77%) presented yeast; 18 were colonized by only one species and two by two different species. From the 22 isolates obtained, 16 (73%) were Candida albicans. The quantitative results showed that 61.5% of patients had been significantly colonized prior to chemotherapy. This finding calls attention to the importance in establishing means to avoid the development of the infectious process, having in mind the potential of risks after the start of chemotherapy.