Oral colonization by Candida species - Part II - Adhesion, biofilm formation and

Abstract

Candida species are yeasts found in different ecosystems, including the oral microflora in humans and animals. In the last two decades, the incidence of fungal infection has increased, particularly in immunocompro- mised hosts. There is a high frequency of colonization in the human oral cavity. The yeasts are found in the saliva, oral epithelial cells, and dental biofilms,although Candida spp. can cause oral candidosis or disseminated infection. The aim of this study was to review the information in the literature about the role of sa- liva, epithelial cells and biofilm formation in the colonization process of the oral cavity. ln addition, we reported some infor- mation about the host defensive mechanisms against Candida infection.