Oral Candidiasis in Yusho Patients; its Relationship With Oral Dryness

Objectives: Although almost 50 years have passed since the accidental mass polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) poisoning event that occurred in western Japan in 1968, high serum PCB concentrations are still being detected in patients with “Yusho” (oil disease) disease. In addition to high blood concentrations of PCB and polychlorinated quaterphenyls, some Yusho patients still suffer from specific symptoms, e.g., mouth dryness and tongue pain.
The aim of the present study is to investigate whether oral candida cause the oral symptoms of Yusho patients.
Methods: We recruited 48 Yusho patients and 29 controls. The mouth dryness of the Yusho patients and controls were measured using the ‘Mucas’ oral moisture checking device. The subjects’ tongues were tested for candida using a candida detection kit.
Results: The mean mouth moisture score was 27.2 (range, 24.2 to 31.2). The mean scores of the Yusho patients and controls were 27.3 and 27.2, respectively, and the difference between the groups was not significant.
Oral candida were detected in 21 Yusho patients and 9 controls. Oral candida were detected more often in the Yusho patients than in the controls. There was no correlation between oral dryness and the presence of oral candida in the Yusho patients. A significant correlation was detected between tongue pain and the presence of oral candida in the Yusho patients.
Conclusions: We investigated oral dryness and oral candida in Yusho patients.
There was no difference in mouth dryness between the Yusho patients and controls, but the frequency of oral candida was significantly higher among the Yusho patients, and tongue pain was found to be correlated with the presence of oral candida. Oral candida might cause the oral symptoms of Yusho patients.