INFECTIOUS LESIONS IN THE ORAL CAVITY: A 20-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE STUDY IN A BRAZILIAN CENTER AND EVALUATION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC POTENTIAL OF CORRELATIVE MICROSCOPY

• Grant number: 25/01702-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Ana Lia Anbinder
• Grantee: Luís Henrique Cardoso
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Optical microscopy is limited by its low resolution and magnification capabilities, as well as the shallow depth of field, resulting in the formation of two-dimensional images. In this context, it becomes necessary to resort to correlational microscopy to understand the etiopathogenesis of diseases. The aim of this study is to analyze the main fungal and bacterial infections with oral manifestations diagnosed in the last 20 years at a reference oral and maxillofacial pathology laboratory in the Vale do Paraíba, using correlational microscopy to expand knowledge on host-pathogen interactions. Cases of candidiasis, paracoccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, syphilis, tuberculosis, leprosy, and actinomycosis, confirmed by histological re-evaluation, will be collected. Histological slides will be prepared and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy with low vacuum. Epidemiological, clinical, and histopathological data will be tabulated and analyzed using the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test, with statistical significance considered for p < 0.05. The results will be written for publication in a scientific article, contributing to the understanding of the etiopathogenesis of these diseases.