Periodontal conditions and distribution of Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in HIV-infected patients undergoing anti-retroviral therapy and in an HIV-seronegative group of the Venezuelan population

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the periodontal conditions and the distribution of Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in a group of HIV-infected patients undergoing anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) and in an HIV-seronegative group. The study sample comprised thirty-two (32) HIV positive patients distributed in two groups (11 HIV+ without HAART and 21 HIV+ with HAART) and 16 HIV seronegative patients. Plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth, and clinical attachment level were evaluated at six sites per tooth in all teeth. Subgingival plaque samples were collected from one tooth per quadrant with pocket depth > 4 mm and attachment level > 5 mm. and then analyzed by PCR. The mean value of PI, GI, and CAL of the HIV-infected patients undergoing or not HAART- and the control group were similar the PD was higher in the control group. LGE was observed only in the HIV-infected group and NUP in the HIV+ without HAART therapy. The control group and the total HIV-infected patients showed similar CPG and CPL values. P. intermedia was the most frequently recovered microorganism in all the groups evaluated. The second pathogen with higher prevalence was A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis was observed only in one (5%) HIV+ patient under HAART and in three patients (19%) in the control group. The periodontal indexes was not related with the CD4+ count and viral load. Changes observed in the periodontal tissues of patients infected with HIV are similar to those observed in HIV negative subjects.