Background: The present study was directed to evaluate the forms of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) and their correlation with CD4+ cell counts in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients.
Materials and methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study carried out for a 2-year period, in which quantitative data collection methods were used. 50 patients with HIV infection were evaluated. Relationship between OPC and CD4+ was investigated.
Results: Five different clinical forms were noticed on examination: pseudomembranous candidiasis 20/38 (P) was the most common one (52.6%) followed by erythematous 5/38 (13.15%), angular cheilitis 5/38 (13.15%) (AC), a combination of AC and E 4/38 (10.52%) or AC, E and P 4/38 (10.52%). Candida albicans was the most frequent specie isolated in 35 cases of OPC (92%). Candida tropicalis was isolated in 2 cases (5.26%) and Candida glabrata in 1 case (2.64%). The majority of patients with OPC had cell counts 28/38 (73%) <200 cells/mm(3), followed by 9/38 (23%) at CD4+ cell counts of 201-499 cells/mm(3).
Conclusion: Oral Candida colonization and invasive infection occur more frequently in HIV-positive patient and is significantly more common in patients with CD4+ cell counts <200 cell/mm(3).
Keywords: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; CD4+; candidiasis; human immunodeficiency virus; oral lesions.