A review of candida and periodontal disease in immunocompetent and HIV-infected subjects.

The role of candida in the aetiology and pathogenesis of periodontal diseases is unclear. In spite of the organism being present in subgingival biofilm samples and in gingival biopsy specimens taken from affected subjects, it has not been possible to demonstrate that it is an active agent in these cases. There is an increase in the prevalence of candida species in the oral cavities and specifically in the subgingival biofilm of HIV-seropositive patients. However, periodontal diseases in HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative subjects are similar with regard to the spectrum of periodontopathic bacteria, clinical manifestation, natural course of the disease and response to treatment. Thus, it is safe to assume that candidal micro-organisms play only a minor role, if any, in the aetiology and pathogeneses of periodontal diseases in HIV-seropositive subjects.