Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disorder leading to xerostomia and kerato-conjunctigivitis sicca. It is well recognised that xerostomic patients have a higher risk of developing oral candidiasis. Objectives: The objective was to investigate oral yeast and coliform colonization in Chinese patients with SS. Methods: 53 SS patients (50 females and 3 males, 26 primary, pSS and 27 secondary cases, sSS) and 29 matched controls were recruited from Queen Mary and Prince Philip Dental Hospitals, the University of Hong Kong. Selective culture of oral rinse samples was carried out to isolate, quantify, and speciate yeast and coliform recovery using API kits. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis/Chi-squared tests. Results: Samples from 69% pSS, 48% sSS and 7% controls showed positive yeast isolation and the mean yeast counts were 986, 155 and 2 cfu respectively (p<0.001). The predominant yeast isolated was Candida albicans, while C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata were isolated less frequently. 15% pSS, 19% sSS and 10% controls samples were coliforms positive and the corresponding group mean counts were 103, 30 and 4 cfu respectively (p>0.05). Conclusions: Chinese Sjogren's syndrome patients in Hong Kong appeared to be prone to oral Candida but not coliforms colonization. Supported by CRCG-HKU.

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