EFFECTS OF DIETARY SUGARS AND, SALIVA AND SERUM ON CANDIDA BIOFILM FORMATION ON ACRYLIC SURFACES

The effect of two dietary sugars, glucose and galactose, on biofilm fo rmation of the oral fungal pathogen Candida on denture acrylic strips coated with saliva and serum pellicles was examined in vitro using Can dida albicans (3 isolates), C. glabrata (2 isolates) and C. tropicalis (2 isolates). The degree of biofilm activity was affected by both the dietary sugar and the nature of the pellicle (ANOVA, p < 0.01). With most isolates the glucose grown yeasts demonstrated significantly more biofilm activity than the galactose grown fungi, in the presence of p ellicles (ANOVA, p < 0.01 or P < 0.01). In contrast, one isolate of ga lactose-grown yeast elicited significantly higher biofilm activity tha n glucose-grown yeasts on the control strips (ANOVA, p < 0.01). Taken together, these results imply that a saliva of a serum pellicle, and t he carbon source in the environment, act a complex manner modulating C andida biofilm formation.