Oral colonization by Candida species in AIDS pediatric patients

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of factors associated with oral colonization by Candida spp. in pediatric patients with AIDS. The sample comprised of 117 children. Clinical status, medicines in use, and laboratory findings were obtained from hospital records; sociodemographic data were given by relatives. A dental examination assessed the prevalence of dental caries. The prevalence of oral colonization by Candida was 62%. Only seven children presented clinical manifestation of oral candidosis despite their high viral load index and low-for-age CD4 count. Candida colonization was directly associated with frequent use of antibiotics (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.44), sulfa drugs (PR = 1.23), alteration in the oral mucosa (PR = 1.55), and untreated dental caries (PR = 1.93). It was inversely associated with the use of antiretroviral therapies (PR = 0.65). Candida albicans was the most frequently detected species (80%); phenotypic tests did not detect C. dubliniensis strains. This study observed a low prevalence of Candida-related oral lesions in these patients, which is compatible with the hypothesis that antiretroviral medicines may have contributed to reducing oral manifestations from Candida infection. The high prevalence of Candida colonization in HIV+/AIDS children with untreated dental caries reinforces the importance of oral health care in interdisciplinary health units that assist these patients.

Factors associated with time free of oral candidiasis in children living with HIV/AIDS, São Paulo, Brazil

“…This finding has been previously reported for Brazilian children 42,43 . Moreover, the time patients were free of oral candidiasis increased with the addition of new drugs to the antiretroviral regimen.…”

Molecular and Histological Association Between Candida albicans from Oral Soft Tissue and Carious Dentine of HIV-Positive Children

“…5a and b: Clinical presentation of a newly diagnosed 6 year old HIV-positive patient presenting simultaneously with rampant caries of the primary dentition and extensive pseudomembranous candidiasis. Figure 5a immunosuppressed and diagnosed with AIDS [8]. The lower prevalence in this study could be attributed to the fact that the children were either receiving ART or not sufficiently immunosuppressed to qualify for ART [33].…”

“…most frequently encountered in the mouth of both healthy [6] and immunosuppressed individuals, it is also the species most commonly studied in this regard. A high prevalence of caries [7,3] and Candida carriage [8] has been reported among HIV-infected individuals, particularly children, including the fact that oral candidiasis remains the most frequently encountered oral soft tissue infection in these individuals [9].…”

HIV/AIDS and Oral Health in Socially Disadvantaged Communities

“…Oral lesions are thus independent indicators of the HIV disease progression. Following the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the oral manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus infection has changed drastically, (Aguirre et al, 1999, Domaneschi et al, 2011, Johnson 1999, Patton et al, 2000. HAART is effective in suppressing plasma-HIV viral load below a detectable level and elevating CD4 cell counts.…”