Oral microbial colonization in patients with systemic lupus erythematous: correlation with treatment and disease activity

• Published in: Lupus 2012-08, Vol.21 (9), p.969-977
• Main Authors: de Araújo Navas, EAF, Sato, EI, Pereira, DFA, Back-Brito, GN, Ishikawa, JA, Jorge, AOC, Brighenti, FL, Koga-Ito, CY
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Candida - isolation & purification; Candida albicans; Colonies; Colonization; Colony-forming cells; Dental schools; Disease; Drugs; Enterobacter - isolation & purification; Female; Humans; Immunology; Immunosuppressive agents; Klebsiella oxytoca; Lupus; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - drug therapy; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - microbiology; Media (culture); Microorganisms; Middle Aged; Mouth - microbiology; Oral cavity; Oral hygiene; Prostheses; Pseudomonas; Rheumatology; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus - isolation & purification; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Steroid hormones; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Variance analysis
• ISSN: 0961-2033; 1477-0962
• DOI: 10.1177/0961203312443420

Treating patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with steroids and immunosuppressive drugs may interfere in the presence of potentially opportunistic microorganisms in the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of Candida spp., Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacteria and Pseudomonas spp. in the oral cavity of SLE patients, compared with healthy controls. A group of 40 patients who had received therapy for at least 60 days was selected (19–53 years). For the control group, 40 healthy individuals matched for age, gender and use of partial prosthesis were selected. Oral rinse samples were collected and plated on specific culture media. After incubation, the number of colony forming units (CFU) was obtained and the isolates were identified at species level. Microbial counts were compared between SLE and control by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Mann–Whitney (p