The in vitro adhesion of Candida albicans to buccal epithelial cells (BEC) from diabetic and non-diabetic individuals after in vivo and in vitro application of nystatin.

Buccal epithelial cells (BEC) from 12 patients with diabetes mellitus and 12 age- and sex-matched non-diabetic subjects were tested in vitro for adhesion of Candida albicans following exposure to nystatin both in vitro and in vivo. Adhesion was significantly reduced (P < 0.002) to cells from both the diabetic and non-diabetic subjects after in vitro exposure to nystatin, but the reduction in adhesion was variable (5.0-50.7% in control subjects and 0.5-48.4% in diabetic subjects) and equivalent between the two groups. In vivo exposure to nystatin produced no overall significant reduction in candidal adhesion to cells from either diabetic or control subjects.