International Journal of Nursing and Health Science 2019; 6(4): 54-58 http://www.openscienceonline.com/journal/ijnhs ISSN: 2381-4861 (Print); ISSN: 2381-4888 (Online) Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan from Milkfish Scales (Chanos chanos) on the Oral Pathogen Candida Albicans Resmila Dewi 1, * , Rinto Muhammad Nur 2 , Idola Dian Yoku Nebore 3 1 Faculty of Pharmacy, STIKES Assyifa Aceh, Banda Aceh, Indonesia 2 Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Universitas Pasifik Morotai, Morotai, Indonesia 3 Faculty of Education Biology Department, Universitas Papua, Manokwari, Indonesia Email address * Corresponding author To cite this article Resmila Dewi, Rinto Muhammad Nur, Idola Dian Yoku Nebore. Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan from Milkfish Scales (Chanos chanos) on the Oral Pathogen Candida Albicans. International Journal of Nursing and Health Science. Vol. 6, No. 4, 2019, pp. 54-58. Received: September 9, 2019; Accepted: November 11, 2019; Published: December 11, 2019 Abstract Candida albicans is an oral commensal flora that causes opportunistic local and systemic infections in immune compromised individuals. The main chemical agents for eradication of pathogenic microbes are antibiotics. For many times antibiotics was gold key for treatment of pathogens. However, in recent years antibiotic resistant microbes was increased and the use of antibiotics for treatment of pathogenic microbes had less efficiency. Chitosan is a natural polymer derived from chitin, which exerts antimicrobial effects against bacteria and fungi. This study aims to utilize waste milkfish scales as raw materials for making chitosan and applying chitosan from milkfish waste scales as antimicrobial against C. albicans. The antimicrobial activity was carried out by using the well diffusion method. The result of this research shows that chitosan that maats the standar of Proton Biopolymer. The result can be concluded that chitosan can inhibit the growth of C. albicans. The inhibition of chitosan concentration of 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% of the growth of C. albicans each inhibitory zone formed with an average diameter of 9.5 mm, 10.8 mm, 14.3 mm and 16,6 mm. Based on the category of David and Stout, chitosan concentration of 1.5% and 2% belong to the category of strong inhibitory power in inhibiting the growth of C. albicans, a concentration of 0.5% and 1% falls into the category of medium. Keywords Chitosan, Antimicrobial, Milkfish Scales, Pathogen, Candida Albicans 1. Introduction Oral candidiasis is a common opportunistic infection of the oral cavity caused by an overgrowth of Candida albicans. In the general population, carriage rates have been reported to range from 20% to 75% without any symptoms. The incidence of C. albicans isolated from the oral cavity has been reported to be 45% in neonates, 45%–65% of healthy children, 30%–45% of healthy adults, 50%–65% of people who wear removable dentures, 65%–88% in those residing in acute and long term care facilities, 90% of patients with acute leukaemia undergoing chemotherapy and 95% of patients with HIV [1]. Candida albicans is a normal commensal of the mouth and generally causes no problems in healthy people. Overgrowth of Candida, however, can lead to local discomfort, an altered taste sensation, dysphagia from oesophageal overgrowth resulting in poor nutrition, slow recovery, and prolonged hospital stay. In immunocompromised patients, infection can spread through the bloodstream or upper gastrointestinal tract leading to severe infection with significant morbidity and mortality. Systemic candidiasis carries a mortality rate of 71% to 79% [2]. Candida albicans causes great problems, as it is resistant to most antimicrobial compounds, namely amphotericin-B, which is considered the standard for the treatment of