Exploring the Relationship between Oral Diseases and Candida Infections: Candida albicans and Beyond

Dear Colleagues,

The oral cavity has a unique microbiota due to its proximity to the external environment. Oral dysbiosis often results in several oral diseases and vice versa; the initiation of a few oral diseases could potentially lead to oral dysbiosis. The latter is often related to commensals such as Candida albicans, where an attenuated immune system leads to candidiasis. In such cases, the causative organisms could also be pathogenic non-Candida albicans species which often overtake the relatively inert Candida albicans. In addition, there are several oral pathologies whose relation to Candida is still debated as a potential causative agent to being a mere secondary infection. In such cases, anti-fungal treatment often attenuates the symptoms, although it remains elusive if the relief was a response to the elimination of the causative agent or the symptomatic relief from the inhibition of the secondary infection. Recent studies have focused on assessing the role of pathogenic non-candida albicans species, which have shown to be relatively more resistant to common antifungal treatment. Oral squamous cell carcinoma, an extensively researched oral disease, is largely attributed to tobacco and alcohol use, but it has also been associated with a few potential microbial risk factors, such as Candida. Nitrosamines, specifically N-nitrosobenzylmethylamine, have been associated with Candida, which in turn is a known carcinogen. As with most oral diseases at present, the association of Candida with oral squamous cell carcinoma remains enigmatic.

This Special Issue invites original articles and systematic reviews with a meta-analysis focusing on understanding the inter-relationship between oral diseases and Candida species. Articles exploring the epidemiological, molecular pathology, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of candida-associated oral disease will be prioritized.

Prof. Dr. Shankargouda B. Patil
Guest Editor

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• candida
• immune suppression
• opportunistic infection
• oral cancer
• oral diseases