Candidiasis of the oropharyngeal mucosa. The clinical and epidemiological aspects in a group of HIV-positive and AIDS patients [Candidosi delle mucose oro-faringee. Aspetti clinici ed epidemiologici in un gruppo di pazienti HIV positivi e con AIDS.]

Immune system deficiencies, particularly cell-mediated immunity are the main events of HIV infection. The resulting syndrome is removies: AIDS. This immune deficiency encourages neoplasms such as the Kaposi sarcoma and non Hodgkin lymphoma, above all, it explains the reason why infections supported by opportunist germs, normally not pathogenic for immuno-competent people, are the main reason for morbidity and mortality in this kind of patients. Since among mycotic infections, the main one in these patients is candidiasis, particularly oro-pharyngeal candidiasis, we have carried out a research with the aim of evaluating the main mucosae oris pathologies in HIV and AIDS patients and, among them, the most directly correlated to HIV infection with reference to oro-pharyngeal candidiasis. We have based our research on the analysis of 237 patients case-histories. From January 1993 to December 1994 these patients have been examined at the Odontological Surgery by the "Centro San Luigi" for HIV-correlated pathologies researches and treatments (Istituto Scientifico Ospedale San Raffaele-Milano.