Oral lesions as indicators of HIV infection among routine dental patients in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by Dr Trevor Watts

Abstract

In a country with a high level of HIV infection, an immunosuppression-related oral lesion was very likely to indicate this condition.

Main

Agbelusi GA, Wright AA Oral Diseases 2005; 11: 370–373

Over a 1-year period, 700 patients were seen in a Nigerian oral medicine clinic serving a population of 5 million people. Lesions raising suspicion of HIV infection were seen in 53 patients aged 14-71 yrs. Patients were offered HIV screening and counselling, and 15 declined. On screening, 35 of the remaining 38 tested positive for HIV.

In this population, the commonest lesions were candidiasis (found in 43%), herpes zoster (23%), forms of periodontal disease suggestive of HIV (22%), major aphthae (8%), erythema multiforme (6%), facial nerve palsy (6%) and hairy leucoplakia (3%). Multiple lesions were found in 5 patients. The authors note that the distribution of lesions, especially the high proportion of candidiasis, is similar to that of other African countries with a low standard of living and poor nutrition.