ORAL AND CUTANEOUS DISTRIBUTION OF CANDIDA ALBICANS AND OTHER YEASTS IN RAROTONGA COOK ISLANDS

The distribution of Candida albicans and other yeasts in the mouth and on the skin of 244 Cook Islanders was investigated. It was isolated from the gums of 41·4% and from some cutaneous site of 15·6%. Both oral and cutaneous carriage was significantly higher than in New Zealand subjects. The areas of skin most frequently colonized by C. albicans were the interdigital spaces of the foot. Of the 140 isolates 20·7% were recovered from these areas, but there was no associated clinical abnormality. Candida parapsilosis and C. tropicalis were carried by 13·9% and 9·8% Rarotongans respectively. Both species were isolated far more commonly from the skin than from the mouth, which yielded only 20% of the strains. 8 other species of Candida and 4 of Torulopsis were recognized during the survey. The high incidence of C. albicans especially on the skin in Rarotonga is discussed, and we suggest that the genus Candida may play a more important part in the aetiology of cutaneous infection than is generally realized. © 1968 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.