<em>In-vitro</em> adhesion to buccal epithelial cells, denture acrylic surfaces and relative cell surface hydrophobicity of oral <em>Candida </em>species following limited exposure to sub-therapeutic concentrations of chlorhexidine gluconate — ASN Events
  1. Schedule
  2. Poster Session C
  3. In-vitro adhesion to buccal epithelial cells, denture acrylic surfaces and relative cell surface hydrophobicity of oral Candida species following limited exposure to sub-therapeutic concentrations of chlorhexidine gluconate

In-vitro adhesion to buccal epithelial cells, denture acrylic surfaces and relative cell surface hydrophobicity of oral Candida species following limited exposure to sub-therapeutic concentrations of chlorhexidine gluconate (#422)

Arjuna N Ellepola 1 , Bobby K Joseph 1 , Rachel Chandy 2 , Zia U Khan 2 , Lakshman P Samaranayake 3
  1. Oral Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, Kuwait
  2. Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, Jabriya, Kuwait
  3. Oral Microbiomics and Infection, School of Dentistry, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Candida albicans as well as its non-albicans counterparts such as Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida glabrata and Candida dubliniensis are aetiological agents of oral candidosis. Their adherence to buccal epithelial cells (BEC), denture acrylic surfaces (DAS) and cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) are attributes associated with yeast colonization and infection. Chlorhexidine gluconate (CG) is a widely used antiseptic in dentistry due to its excellent antimicrobial spectrum. However, when administered the diluent effect of saliva and the cleansing effect of the oral musculature reduces its bio-availability below that of the effective therapeutic concentrations, thus compromising its efficacy. Hence, intra-orally, Candida undergo an initial, transient exposure to high CG concentrations, whilst thereafter, its concentration is likely to be sub-therapeutic.  Impact of CG under such conditions on adhesion to BEC, DAS and CSH of different oral Candida species has not been studied. Hence the adhesion to BEC, DAS and CSH of foregoing oral Candida species, following brief exposure to three different sub-therapeutic concentrations of CG was investigated. Ten oral isolates each of the above five Candida species were exposed to 0.005%, 0.0025% and 0.00125% CG for 30 min. Subsequent to drug removal the candidal adhesion to BEC, DAS and CSH were determined by in-vitro adhesion to BEC, DAS and  a biphasic aqueous-hydrocarbon assay, respectively.  Exposure to 0.005% CG reduced the adhesion to BEC, DAS and CSH of Candida species by a 64.68%, 54.59% and 50%, respectively (P < 0.001). Exposure to 0.0025% CG also curtailed these adhesion attributes by 50.89%, 40.79% and 24.58%, respectively (P < 0.001). However, exposure to the lowest dilution of CG (0.00125%) did not elicit a noteworthy suppression of either trait evaluated. These findings illustrate the antifungal potency of CG in suppressing adhesion traits of Candida even at sub-therapeutic concentrations, and elucidate further the intricate pharmacodynamics that may potentiate its antiseptic properties. The work was supported by Kuwait University Research Grant No. DB 01/13.

#2015ASM