It has been proposed that HIV-related oral lesions (HIV-ROL) have a significant diagnostic and prognostic value for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in adult patients. However, in HIV-infected children, the relation between HIV-ROL and immune and virologic status is not well established. The principal objective of this paper is to assess the prevalence of HIV-related oral lesions (HIV-ROL) in Mexican HIV-infected children in relation to their immunologic status, viral load, and gender. Forty-eight HIV-infected children from Immunodeficiency Clinic, Child's Hospital of México, México City, were examined for oral pathology. The data obtained from medical records were: name, gender, age, route of infection, CD4 lymphocytes cells count/mL, HIV-1-RNA level of copies/mL (viral load), and type and time of treatment. The prevalence of HIV-ROL was 29.2%. Oral candidosis was the most prevalent oral lesion (20.8%) followed by periodontal and gingival disease (4.2%), herpes simplex (2.1%), and parotid enlargement (2.1%). There was no association between the prevalence of HIV-ROL and gender, immunological status, or viral load. The most frequent clinical form of oral candidosis was erythematous candidosis (12.5%, N = 6). Our results do not suggest a direct relationship between prevalence of HIV-ROL, severe immunodepression, and/or viral load > 100000 copies in this population.

Oral lesions (OL) have an important prognostic value for HIV/AIDS patients. However, the behavior of OL in HIV/AIDS patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy including efavirenz (HAART/EFV) has not been documented. Our objective was to establish the prevalence of OL in HIV/AIDS patients undergoing HAART/EFV and to compare it with the prevalence of OL in patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy including a protease inhibitor (HAART/PI). Seventy-three HIV/AIDS patients undergoing antiretroviral treatment for at least for 6 months at "La Raza" Medical Center's Internal Medicine Unit (IMSS, Mexico City) were included. To detect OL, a detailed examination of oral soft tissues was performed in each patient. Patient records recorded gender, seropositivity time, route of contagion, antiretroviral therapy type and duration, CD4 lymphocyte count/ml, and viral load. Two groups were formed: 38 patients receiving HAART/EFV [two nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NARTI) plus efavirenz] and 35 patients receiving HAART/PI (two NARTIs plus one PI). OL prevalence was established in each study group. The Chi-square test was applied (p < 0.05(IC95%)). OL prevalence in the HAART/EFV group (32%) was lower (p < 0.007) than in the HAART/PI group (63%). Candidosis was the most prevalent OL in both groups. Herpes labialis, HIV-associated necrotizing periodontitis, xerostomia, hairy leukoplakia, and nonspecific oral sores were identified. The highest prevalence for all OL was found in the HAART/PI group. These findings suggest that HIV/AIDS patients undergoing HAART/EFV show a lower prevalence of oral lesions than patients undergoing HAART/PI.