Identification of Fungi Isolated from Mouth Flora of a Group of Hospitalized Patients and Detection of Slime Production

The aim of this study is to identify fungi isolated from mouth flora of a group of hospitalized patients and to determine slime production and to assess the relationships between oral prosthesis and tooth brushing among fungi isolated patients. One-hundred hospitalized patients (at least two weeks) were interviewed by using a questionnaire to determine oral hygiene and an oral examination were done before their mouth samples were collected. “Slime” productions of isolated fungi from these samples were determined with modified tube adherence test. The mean of age of the study group was (± SD) 49 ± 16.2 and 57% of them were males and 43% of them were females. Fungi were isolated among 61 of 100 mouth samples and of 61 samples, 59 had Candida [54 (91.5%) C. albicans, 3 (5%) C. tropicalis, 1 (1.7%) C. kefyr, 1 (1.7%) C. guilliermondii] and two had Rhodotorula rubra and Geotricum candidum. Of the identified 61 fungi, 27 (44.3%) had “slime” production. Of the “slime” production of Candida species, 21 (35.6%) were strong positive, 4 (6.7%) were poor positive and R. rubra and G. candidum were strong positive. Of the patients with oral prosthesis, 71% had fungi and of the patients without prosthesis, 54% had fungi (p> 0.05). Of the patients brushing tooth at least once a day, 57% had fungi and of the patients without using toothbrush, 64% had fungi (p> 0.05). As a conclusion, “slime” production of fungi isolated from mouth flora of hospitalized patients were so high that they have the risk for Candida infection, in case of they have other conditions for fungi pathogenesis. There were no difference between brushing tooth and isolation of fungi and also oral prosthesis and fungi