PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to verify the oral prevalence of Candida spp in HIV-infected children, and investigate the association between Candida colonization and dentinal caries lesions. METHODS: Whole stimulated saliva was collected from 62 HIV-infected children (group 1) and 40 seronegative siblings (group 2), followed by oral examination to determine: dmft/dmfs scores, DMFT/DMFS scores, the number of dentinal carious teeth (D+) and the presence of oral candidiasis. The salivary samples were cultured, and plates with positive isolation (G+) were classified as mild growth, moderate growth, and strong growth. Data was analyzed using chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Spearman tests for correlations. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 8.8 for group 1 and 8.0 years for group 2. In group 1, 61% of the subjects had AIDS. Eighty percent of HIV-infected children (N=50) were positive for Candida growth, having a mean CD4% of 22, those who were Candida-free (N=12) presented a mean CD4% of 21. Correlation was observed between the mean D+ and G+ in groups 1 and 2 (P<.05, Mann-Whitney test), but not between the mean dmft/dmfs-DMFT/DMFS in group 1 (P>.05, Mann-Whitney test). Association of G+ and the D+ was noted in group 1 (P<.05; chi-square test). Positive correlation between high Candida counts and an increase in D+ was demonstrated in groups 1 and 2 (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dentinal carious lesions may be associated with Candida spp colonization in HIV-infected children.
PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to verify the oral prevalence of Candida spp in HIV-infectedchildren, and investigate the association between Candida colonization and dentinal caries lesions. METHODS: Whole stimulated saliva was collected from 62 HIV-infectedchildren (group 1) and 40 seronegative siblings (group 2), followed by oral examination to determine: dmft/dmfs scores, DMFT/DMFS scores, the number of dentinal carious teeth (D+) and the presence of oral candidiasis. The salivary samples were cultured, and plates with positive isolation (G+) were classified as mild growth, moderate growth, and strong growth. Data was analyzed using chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Spearman tests for correlations. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 8.8 for group 1 and 8.0 years for group 2. In group 1, 61% of the subjects had AIDS. Eighty percent of HIV-infectedchildren (N=50) were positive for Candida growth, having a mean CD4% of 22, those who were Candida-free (N=12) presented a mean CD4% of 21. Correlation was observed between the mean D+ and G+ in groups 1 and 2 (P<.05, Mann-Whitney test), but not between the mean dmft/dmfs-DMFT/DMFS in group 1 (P>.05, Mann-Whitney test). Association of G+ and the D+ was noted in group 1 (P<.05; chi-square test). Positive correlation between high Candida counts and an increase in D+ was demonstrated in groups 1 and 2 (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS:Dentinal carious lesions may be associated with Candida spp colonization in HIV-infectedchildren.