A PRELIMINARY STUDY TO ISOLATE AND IDENTIFY THE CANDIDA SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH LEUKOPLAKIA AND ORAL LICHEN PLANUS

This study was carried out to isolate and identify the candida species in various clinical forms of leukoplakia and oral lichen planus. Sixty patients with leukoplakia and 30 patients with oral lichen planus were selected. Yeasts were isolated using swabs and inoculated in SDA medium. Specimen showing moderate to heavy growth was subjected to speciation using the germ tube test, chlamydospore formation and sugar assimilation test. The results were statistically evaluated for the test of significance using Chi square test and Fischer’s exact test.