Objectives: Oropharyngeal candidiasis is one of the most common opportunistic fungal infections among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. The most common cause is Candida albicans, followed by non-albicans Candida. This study aimed to identify colonized Candida species in HIV-infected patients from Ahvaz, Iran. Additionally, the relationships between immunity-related factors, lifestyle, and colonization of Candida spp. were studied. Methods: Oral swabs were taken from 201 HIV-positive patients referred for consultations at the Behavioral Modification Center. Oral Candida colonization was detected using culture-based and molecular assays. Data were assessed by descriptive statistics and analyzed to investigate the correlation between Candida colonization and various factors, including the CD4+ cell count and viral load. Results: It was found that 43.8% of patients were positive for Candida. The most common species was C. albicans (48.0%), followed by non-albicans Candida isolates, including C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. guilliermondii, C. kefyr, and C. krusei. Colonization of Candida spp. in patients was associated with a CD4 count ≤200 cells/mm3 (odds ratio [OR], 4.62; p<0.05), history of shared injections (OR, 6.96; p<0.001), and sex (OR, 3.59; p<0.05). Conclusions The results of this study showed that C. albicans was the dominant pathogen. The risk factors for colonization of Candida spp. were a CD4 count ≤ 200/mm3 , a history of shared injections, and sex. Other factors with potential relationships include viral load, age, and opportunistic infections, but further investigations are needed.

Objectives: Oropharyngeal candidiasis is one of the most common opportunistic fungal infections among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. The most common cause is Candida albicans, followed by non-albicans Candida. This study aimed to identify colonized Candida species in HIV-infected patients from Ahvaz, Iran. Additionally, the relationships between immunity-related factors, lifestyle, and colonization of Candida spp. were studied. Methods: Oral swabs were taken from 201 HIV-positive patients referred for consultations at the Behavioral Modification Center. Oral Candida colonization was detected using culture-based and molecular assays. Data were assessed by descriptive statistics and analyzed to investigate the correlation between Candida colonization and various factors, including the CD4+ cell count and viral load. Results: It was found that 43.8% of patients were positive for Candida. The most common species was C. albicans (48.0%), followed by non-albicans Candida isolates, including C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. guilliermondii, C. kefyr, and C. krusei. Colonization of Candida spp. in patients was associated with a CD4 count ≤200 cells/mm3 (odds ratio [OR], 4.62; p<0.05), history of shared injections (OR, 6.96; p<0.001), and sex (OR, 3.59; p<0.05). Conclusions The results of this study showed that C. albicans was the dominant pathogen. The risk factors for colonization of Candida spp. were a CD4 count ≤ 200/mm3 , a history of shared injections, and sex. Other factors with potential relationships include viral load, age, and opportunistic infections, but further investigations are needed.

Objectives: Vaginitis still remains as a health issue in women. It is notable that Candida albicans producing biofilm is considered a microorganism responsible for vaginitis with hard to treat. Also, Peganum harmala was applied as an anti fungal in treatment for many infections in Iran. Therefore, this study goal to investigate the role of P. harmala in inhibition of biofilm formation in C. albicans. Methods: So, 27 C. albicans collected from women with Vaginitis, then subjected for biofilm formation assay. P. harmala was applied as antibiofilm formation in C. albicans. Results: Our results demonstrated that P. harmala in concentration of 12 μg/ml easily inhibited strong biofilm formation; while the concentrations of 10 and 6 μg/ml inhibited biofilm formation in moderate and weak biofilm formation C. albicans strains, respectively. Conclusion Hence, the current study presented P. harmala as antibiofilm herbal medicine for C. albicans; but in vivo study suggested to be performed to confirm its effectiveness.