Fungi of Candida species in the pharynx and some parameters of humoral and cellular immunity in patients.

Background: The pharynx is one of the open spaces where fungi can settle easily. The purpose of the investigation was to estimate an overall prevalence of fungal colonization and some parameters of humoral and cell immunity.
Methods: The study consisted of 167 patients, from whom swabs of the posterior and lateral part of the pharynx were taken for mycological examinations, during which tests based on morphological and biochemical (zymogram, auxanogram) characteristics were used. In all cases, the leukocyte count, overall protein level, and protein individual fractions were determined. Also determined were the levels of IgA, IgM and IgG immunoglobulin in blood serum, and IgA immunoglobulin (S-IgA) in saliva. At the same time, blastic transformation test and rosette tests: E (ER) to determine lymphocytes T count, as well as EA (EAR) and EAC (EACR) to detect lymphocytes B, were performed.
Results: Fungal infection was found in 2/3 of patients. Fungi were classified as belonging to six species of Candida, which are considered to be important etiological factors of mycoses; the most common fungus was Candida albicans (in 86 cases). All cases of candidosis showed a decreased count of lymphocytes T, with their function deficient, and most of them a low S-IgA level in saliva (over three times lower than the norm) and high mean values for sedimentation rate.
Conclusions: In patients in our study the IgA level in serum remained within normal limits, yet the ratio fo this fraction to other immunoglobulins deviated from that in healthy individuals.