title: Salivary histatin-5 and oral fungal colonisation in HIV+ individuals.
abstract: The oral cavity is a primary target for opportunistic infections, particularly oral candidiasis caused by the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans. HIV+ individuals constitute a population highly susceptible to oral candidiasis possibly due to a change in the environment of the oral cavity as the result of salivary gland dysfunction. Histatins are a family of salivary antimicrobial peptides which under normal circumstances have a protective function on the oral mucosa. This study aimed to compare salivary histatin concentrations and oral fungal colonisation in an HIV+ and HIV- control populations. Oral samples for fungal cultures and parotid saliva were collected from all subjects. Fungal identification was determined using standard mycological procedures. In order to determine salivary histatin levels a semi-quantitative ELISA was designed using a specific polyclonal antibody and extensive statistical analysis was performed. Forty-seven percent of HIV+ and 17% of control subjects had positive fungal cultures. Mean histatin levels were 7.32 microg ml(-1) for the HIV+ group and 9.17 microg ml(-1) for control group (P = 0.003). The data from this study demonstrate that the level of fungal colonisation is significantly higher in HIV+ individuals whereas histatin-5 concentrations are significantly lower, likely contributing to the enhanced predisposition of this population to oral candidiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Sciences and Pathology, Dental School, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garzino-Demo
authors.forename: Timothy F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Meiller
authors.forename: Valli
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Meeks
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jabra-Rizk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005658:Fungi / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D054808:Histatins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; C068075:HTN3 protein, human; D054808:Histatins