Potential Pathogenicity of Species Isolated from Oral Cavity of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus.

Introduction: In the recent decade, the increased immunocompromised population such as diabetic patients makes a high incidence of invasive infections. Diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrine metabolic disorder, and diabetic patients are more susceptible to oral candidiasis infection. Candidiasis is an opportunistic fungal infection caused by many species of . Secretion of exoenzymes plays an important role in the virulence and pathogenesis of species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of phospholipase, esterase, and hemolytic activity of species isolated from oral cavity lesions of diabetic patients.

Methods: A total of 108 species including 75 and 33 non- species were recovered from the oral cavity of diabetic patients included in our study. Egg yolk agar, Tween 80 opacity medium, and blood agar plate assays were used for determining phospholipase, esterase, and hemolytic activities, respectively.

Results: species had the most exoenzyme activity in comparison to non isolates. isolates showed 97.3%, 100%, and 77.3% phospholipase, hemolysin, and esterase activities, respectively. The difference between and non- was significant in phospholipase ( < 0.001) and hemolytic activity ( = 0.027), but not significant in esterase activity ( = 0.076).

Conclusion: This study showed that most of the isolates had different enzymatic patterns, and isolates had the most exoenzyme activity. So due to the potential effects of these enzymes in pathogenesis and virulence effects of species, we can conclude that the severity of extracellular enzymes may play a role in the severity of signs and symptoms of oral cavity infections in diabetic patients.