MOLECULAR DETECTION OF THE HYPHAL WALL PROTEIN 1 (HWP1) GENE IN CANDIDA PARAPSILOSIS ISOLATED FROM ORAL SAMPLES OF PATIENTS WITH PERIODONTITIS

Objective: The current study aimed the research was to use molecular detection techniques to examine whether Candida parapsilosis infection in oral with periodontitis included the virulence gene hyphal wall protein 1 (HWP1). Method: Between April 2024 and September 2025, 80 oral swab samples were taken from individuals with clinically confirmed periodontitis who were visiting outpatient clinics and dental health centers in Ad Diwaniyah City, Iraq. The patients’ ages ranged from 18 to 49 years. Specimens were collected and used cotton swabs sterile, use the media Sabouraud’s dextrose agar and cultural on media Chrom agar Candida as confirmatory systems of Candida parapsilosis. Molecular detection of the HWP1 gene was performed using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay on confirmed isolates. Results: Candida parapsilosis was found in 18 isolates (22.5%) of the 80 samples that were collected. The HWP1 virulence gene was found in most of the detected isolates, according to PCR analysis. Novelty: The detection of the HWP1 virulence gene among Candida parapsilosis isolates suggest a potential a functional adhesin-associated protein responsible for the pathogenesis of oral infections related to periodontitis. These findings highlight the importance of molecular characterization in understanding the virulence mechanisms of Candida species in periodontal disease.