Experimental oral murine candidosis and attempts of prevention

Purpose. The aim of the present study was to develop an animal model of oral candidosis and to test the possibility to prevent or ameliorate the colonization through the use of a chitin soluble extract (CSE) as an inhibitor of Candida adhesion to host tissues. Materials and Methods. Oral candidosis was induced in male ICR mice (17-23 weeks old) treated with tetracycline two weeks prior to inoculation with Candida albicans (10¹⁰ yeasts/mouse). Colonization was assessed at different times post candidal inoculation using two methods: enumeration of colony forming units of Candida in tissue homogenates of the oral and lingual mucosa, and histopathological evaluation of these tissues. Once the model was established, efficacy of different treatment combinations and concentrations of CSE was tested. Results. It was found that a treatment consisting of topical CSE administration prior and post fungal inoculation at a concentration of 20 mg CSE/mouse was the most effective in preventing the colonization (0% colonization). Conclusion. These results suggest that CSE has the potential to prevent oral candidosis and thus may possibly be considered as a prophylactic measure for preventing of oral candidosis.