Comparison of Virulence Factors of Different Candida Species Isolated from the Oral Cavity of Cancer Patients and Normal Individuals

Candida yeast is a normal flora of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity. Various enzymes secreted by Candida species play the role of virulence factors in different Candida infections including in cancer patients. This study aimed at comparing phospholipase, proteinase, esterase, and hemolytic activities in different Candida species isolated from the oral cavity of cancer patients and normal people. This study was conducted on 36 cancer patients and 36 healthy people. MspI restriction enzyme for PCR-RFLP method was used to identify the Candida species. The enzymatic activity index (EAI) was measured for each enzyme using the relevant protocols. Candida albicans was the most frequent species with the frequency of 26 (72%) and 31 (81.1%) in cancer patients and healthy people, respectively. In healthy individuals and patients, the mean phospholipase activity of Candida isolates was 0.795 and 0.775, proteinase activity was 0.7531 and 0.7558, esterase activity was 0.6142 and 0.7186, and hemolysin activity was 0.6317 and 0.5756, respectively. The results showed that C. albicans was the most frequent Candida species isolated from healthy people and patients. Phospholipase, proteinase, and hemolysin activity of Candida species was higher in patients than in healthy people and hemolytic activity was significantly higher in patients than in healthy subjects (P < 0.05). However, Candida species in both groups were positive for esterase activity but the mean activity of this enzyme was significantly higher in the healthy group than in the patient group.