Oral Candidiasis and Inflammatory Response: a Potential Synergic Contribution to the Onset of Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus

It is known that fungal pathogens activate cellular immune responses involving several inflammatory molecules. On the other hands, it is well known that diabetic patients show a chronic inflammatory state. In this study, we explore the hypothesis that yeast colonization of the oral cavity directly influences the tendency of an individual to develop type 2 Diabetes. According to this hypothesis, oral yeast colonization may influence the pathway in which the immune response handles subsequent responses to glucose intake. The first part of this work presents data concerning oral Candida carriage in subjects with pre-diabetes, the second part explores the potential role of oral Candida infection, related to inflammatory response in promoting insulin resistance.