Oral microbiological and immune parameters as markers of tuberculosis severity and progression Ribeirão Preto

Abstract

The oral fungal burden of Candida spp and the salivary levels of inflammatory cytokines are associated with the progression of several severe systemic diseases. However, no studies associate oral colonization by Candida with the progression and severity of tuberculosis (TB), and few studies have evaluated this association with the salivary levels of inflammatory biomarkers. This study aims to verify a possible association between fungal burden, the prevalence of Candida spp, and the concentration of salivary biomarkers (IL-1², IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-±, and Lf) with the severity of TB and its prognosis. For this study, we will collect saliva and oral rinse from 90 TB patients at two different moments: (T1) patients with less than 30 days of treatment and (T2) when they complete more than 150 days of treatment. The immune and microbiological salivary parameters will be associated with the TB severity based on its relationship with seven systemic parameters: 1. The extent of lung injury; 2. Bacilloscopy; 3. The severity of signs and symptoms by Bandim TB Score; 4. Presence of extrapulmonary TB; 5. Serum laboratory tests; 6. Presence of multidrug-resistant TB and 7. chronic comorbidities. The variation in the salivary cytokines levels and the Candida burden in T1 and T2 will be compared with the following outcomes: time for the no detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, reassessment of the Bandin TB Score, and reassessment of serum laboratory tests. These associations could become valuable tools for tracking complications in TB patients, if confirmed. (AU)