ORAL DISEASE IN FIVE PATIENTS INFECTED WITH HIV AND SCREENED FOR EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS

Oral opportunistic infections can lead to a range of diseases in people who are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Among them, herpes viruses are responsible for common diseases in HIV positive people. Both benign and malignant oral diseases are associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Five cases of oral lesions from a cohort of HIV positive patients were associated with EBV detection in the oral mucosa. Active EBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was detected in three of the samples. Of the two cases with herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1)-like ulcers, only one was associated with EBV detection. Similarly, only one candidiasis case was also EBV DNA positive. Severe immunosuppression was found in the patient with candidiasis and hairy leukoplakia. This man, who harbored the EBV-2 strain, was also positive for EBNA-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) message and showed several symptoms indicative of disease development. This study provides baseline data on the dynamics of opportunistic oral infections in HIV infected individuals in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), as well as the detection of EBV markers and their link with clinical outcome. DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/10.17525/vrrjournal.v20i1.143