title: HIV infection affects Streptococcus mutans levels, but not genotypes.
abstract: We report a clinical study that examines whether HIV infection affects Streptococcus mutans colonization in the oral cavity. Whole stimulated saliva samples were collected from 46 HIV-seropositive individuals and 69 HIV-seronegative control individuals. The level of S. mutans colonization was determined by conventional culture methods. The genotype of S. mutans was compared between 10 HIV-positive individuals before and after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and 10 non-HIV-infected control individuals. The results were analyzed against viral load, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell counts, salivary flow rate, and caries status. We observed that S. mutans levels were higher in HIV-infected individuals than in the non-HIV-infected control individuals (p = 0.013). No significant differences in S. mutans genotypes were found between the two groups over the six-month study period, even after HAART. There was a bivariate linear relationship between S. mutans levels and CD8+ counts (r = 0.412; p = 0.007), but not between S. mutans levels and either CD4+ counts or viral load. Furthermore, compared with non-HIV-infected control individuals, HIV-infected individuals experienced lower salivary secretion (p = 0.009) and a positive trend toward more decayed tooth surfaces (p = 0.027). These findings suggest that HIV infection can have a significant effect on the level of S. mutans, but not genotypes.
authors: Department of Basic Science and Craniofacial Biology, New York University College of Dentistry, 345 E. 24 Street, New York, NY 10010-4086, USA.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Liu
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Saxena
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: R G
authors: RG
authors: Norman
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Phelan
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Laverty
authors: G S
authors: GS
authors: Fisch
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Corby
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Abrams
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Malamud
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D012636:Secretory Rate; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult