Incidence of Candida in psoriasis - a study on the fungal flora of psoriatic patients

The presence of Candida albicans and other Candida species in saliva and fa eces of 50 psoriatic patients compared with a control group of 50 healthy d onors was examined quantitatively. The quantity of Candida in saliva and fa eces of the psoriatics proved to be significantly higher than in the contro ls. Candida was detected in 78% of the saliva samples of the psoriatics but in only 50% of the controls, and in the faeces samples in 72% of the psori atics, but in only 46% of the controls. Qualitative analysis revealed a pre dominance of Candida albicans (saliva, 77%; faeces, 64%) and Candida rugosa (saliva, 28%; faeces, 28%). We did not find a correlation between the seve rity of the psoriasis according to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index an d the amount of Candida in the saliva or in the faeces. Our results reinfor ce the hypothesis that C, albicans is one of the triggers to both exacerbat ion and persistence of psoriasis. We propose that in psoriatics with a sign ificant quantity of Candida in faeces, an antifungal treatment should be co nsidered as an adjuvant treatment of psoriasis.