Oral manifestations of HIV-infected patients : Clinical features and its electron microscopic findings

AIDS was first reported in 1981 in young homosexual men. Since then, it has spread at an explosive pace across the globe. AIDS is an infectious disease due to HIV. The oral manifestations are mainly a result of cellular immunodeficiency induced by HIV infection. Some of these have been acknowledged as being of great importance in early diagnosis of the disease.Oral lesions strongly associsted with HIV infection are oral candidiasis, oral hairy leukoplakia, intraoral Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and HIV-associated periodontal disease. Oral candidiasis occurrs as pseudomembranous and erythematous type. Oral hairy leukoplakia has a white irregular corrugated surface of the lateral border of the tongue. The presence of hairy leukoplakia indicates a significant risk for HIV infection. 50% of AIDS patients with Kaposi's sarcoma have oral lesions, and the palate is the site most commonly involved, followed by the gingiva. Necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis and an aggressive form of periodontitis have been seen in a number of patients HIV infection. Early and correct diagnosis of oral manifestations of HIV infection are very important to the patients as well as dentists who should install adequate protection measures