Suspensions of
Candida albicans in saliva, serum, broth or saline were treated with toluidine blue O or methylene blue and exposed to light from a helium/neon
orgallium aluminium arsenide laser, respectively, for 120 s and survivors enumerated. Experiments were also carried out in
broth at a pH ranging from 4.0 to 7.0. Appreciable kills (>10
6 cfu ml
−1) of the yeast were obtained regardless of the nature of the suspending fluid. Lethal photosensitization of the yeast was
also possible at a pH as low as 4.0 Only short-term (3 min) incubatin of the photosensitizer with the yeast was necessary
to render it susceptible to killing by laser light.
Key words HIV - Oral candidosis - Photodynamic therapy - Toluidine blue