Candida albicans adhesion on buccal epitheliocytes as an indicator of microbiota homeostatic balance in children with chronic gastroduodenitis

Background. Recently, the incidence of mycoses in patients with a gastroenterological profile has grown due to an increase in the intensity of the impact on the human body of external factors that cause disturbances in the antimycotic defense system.

Aim. To study the adhesion of Candida albicans on buccal epitheliocytes in children with chronic gastroduodenitis.

Material and methods. 96 children (mean age 12.43±1.24 years) with recurrent respiratory diseases with morphologically proven chronic gastroduodenitis associated with Helicobacter pylori were examined. The adhesion of Candida, contamination of buccal epithelial cells with bacteria were studied. All children underwent paraclinical studies, instrumental methods of research, consultations of specialists were also prescribed. In the study of the adhesive reaction of C. albicans on buccal epitheliocytes, a Candida strain from the collection of the Federal Budgetary Institution of Science “Nizhny Novgorod Research Institute of Hygiene and Occupational Pathology” was used. 100 epitheliocytes were studied, the result was evaluated by the number of Candida in terms of 1 epitheliocyte. Registration of artificial colonization of buccal epithelial cells was carried out according to the method of D. Goldman and E. Goetzl (2003) modified by A.N. Mayansky. The children were divided into 2 groups: the main one — the detected growth of C. albicans over 1000 CFU/g, and the comparative one — the absence of excess growth of C. albicans. Statistical processing included the determination of the correlation coefficient, the arithmetic mean (M) and its standard error (m), differences in indicators according to Student's criteria (the level at p <0.05 was considered statistically significant).

Results. Harmonious proportional development was observed in 55.21% of children, microbiota imbalance was noted: bloating and rumbling along the colon, (p=0.0087), unstable stool (p=0.0241) and constipation (p=0.6092). The spectrum of comorbid pathology revealed the presence of allergic diseases (p=0.0048), up to 10 episodes of acute respiratory viral infection (p=0.1702), more than 10 episodes of acute respiratory viral infection (p=0.0105), adenoid vegetations (p=0.531), chronic pyelonephritis in the stage of clinical and laboratory remission (p=0.0216). Assessment of the intestinal microbial landscape showed a significant decrease in the content of bifidobacteria in the main group (p=0.0482), and lactobacilli were comparable in both groups (p=0.0839). In the comparison group, in 88.63% of cases, the indices of adhesion of C. albicans on buccal epitheliocytes were 6.37±0.46, in the main group — 11.86±0.74 (p=0.0362). A direct relationship between the parameters of artificial colonization of buccal epitheliocytes and the degree of microbiological changes in the intestine was found (r=0.58, p=0.0097).

Conclusion. The study of adhesion of Candida albicans on buccal epitheliocytes in children with chronic gastroduodenitis revealed a unidirectional shift in the quantitative content of the obligate oral and intestinal microbiota, which can be used as a screening for the homeostatic balance of the microbiota.