title: Oral candidal carriage, salivary lysozyme levels, and their relationship with CD4 count in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to compare the lysozyme concentration and candidal count in saliva between HIV-seropositive and HIV-negative individuals, and to correlate the relationship between lysozyme concentrations, candidal count, and CD4 count in HIV patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was conducted in 90 HIV-seropositive patients (subgroups: 1 [CD4 ≥ 500 cells/μL], 2 [CD4 200-499 cells/μL], and 3 [CD4 ≤ 200 cells/μL] and 30 HIV-negative individuals. A total of 6 mL unstimulated saliva was collected and stored at -80°C. Samples were centrifuged and divided into two portions of 600 μL each. One portion was used for the candidal assay and the other for the lysozyme assay using ready-made kits. Student's independent t-test and Karl Pearson correlation coefficient were used for the statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant increase (P < 0.001) in lysozyme levels and the candidal count in the saliva of HIV-positive individuals compared with the HIV-negative individuals. A significant increase (P < 0.004) in the salivary candidal count was observed in the HIV subgroups 1-3. There was a significant negative correlation (P < 0.01) between the CD4 and candidal counts in subgroup 1 (P < 0.02) and between the lysozyme concentration and CD4 count in subgroup 3. There was no correlation between the lysozyme concentration and oral candidal carriage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An association exists between the lysozyme concentration and specific immunity. Yeast colonization serves as a marker of immunodeficiency in HIV disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial Dental College, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Krithika
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chandrasekar Lakshmi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Sathasivasubramanian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sankarapandiyan
authors.affiliation: Y.R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education, Voluntary Health Services Clinical Research Site/National Institutes of Health, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Kumarasamy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagalingeswaran
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Anupama
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kindo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ganesan
mesh_terms: D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002175:Candida / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D009113:Muramidase / Q000032:analysis*; D012463:Saliva
chemical_list: D009113:Muramidase
keywords: CD4 count; HIV; candidal count; lysozyme concentration; saliva