Saliva interleukin-17 levels are decreased in patients with severe oral candidiasis

AimOral candidiasis is often complicated by other oral diseases, and long-term follow-up is essential because oral candidiasis often recurs. Failure to provide appropriate treatment for oral candidiasis will lead to persistence of the fungal cell in the oral cavity and increase the risk of severe oral candidiasis and recurrence of infection. We hypothesized that various inflammatory cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis and progression of oral candidiasis. MethodsWe measured cytokine levels in the saliva samples of candida-negative and candida-positive patients. ResultsSaliva interleukin (IL)-17 concentrations were significantly lower in patients with oral candidiasis than in healthy individuals. Saliva IL-17A concentrations were significantly lower in candida-positive patients than in candida-negative patients. However, the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6 showed no significant differences between the two groups of patients. ConclusionSaliva IL-17A levels were significantly lower in patients with severe oral candidiasis, providing a potentially highly useful indicator for the pathogenesis and progression of severe oral candidiasis.