Oral examination: a screening tool for HIV infection?

Systematic review of the changing pattern of the oral manifestations of HIV

The purpose of the present study paper was to review the reported prevalence of the oral manifestations of HIV (OM-HIV) worldwide since 1980, and to determine the global variation in its prevalence over time. PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Google Scholar were searched. The filter "English" was used. The timeframe searched was 1980- 2015. The PRISMA flow chart was used. Data were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute standardized data extraction form and transferred to SPSS version 22 for analysis. The systematic review of 97 studies (70 low bias risk) showed that the prevalence of OM-HIV continue to be significant in developing countries. Globally and through all the decades, oral candidiasis remained the most commonly encountered OM-HIV, including among patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) (26.2%). Hairy leukoplakia was more prevalent in Europe and America compared with Africa and Asia. Oral warts were reported more often in studies on patients receiving ART. Interestingly, salivary gland disease decreased in the developed world and increased in developing countries over time. Despite the changing pattern of these conditions over time, there is no evidence that the OM-HIV have become of less significance globally. Maintaining the drive for high-quality research in the subject will have an impact on less developed countries to help address oral health inequalities.

Implications of HIV Disease for Oral Health Services

This paper, by means of a quality framework, reviews health services research in relation to people with HIV infection. The relevance of oral health care services to people’s needs is considered in terms of the goal of health services to reduce the burden of disease on the everyday life of the population. Dental services may therefore have a role in primary prevention in the HIV epidemic, passing on information about HIV and promoting health through the early diagnosis and treatment of oral disease. Effectiveness research of oral health care in HIV assesses the usefulness of oral diagnosis, whether care is safe, and whether treatment is clinically effective. Few data are available on the efficiency of services. People with HIV still have problems accessing dental care, due to the volume of care available in relation to their need and acceptability of care. Access problems in the US are compounded by social inequality. Health services research data are particularly sparse in resource-poor countries, and there is a need to translate the available information into treatment guidelines appropriate to these settings. The research community and funding agencies should place greater emphasis on the quality of oral health services for people with HIV.

(A1) Identification of Oral Health Care Needs in Children and Adults, Management of Oral Diseases

The workshop considered five questions reviewing the identification of international oral health care needs of children and adults, and the management of oral diseases in resource-poor countries: (1) What is the role of the dental profession in the management of the HIV-infected individual? (2) Identifying health care needs-What are the epidemiology and disparities of HIV-associated oral lesions in children from different continents? (3) How effective is HIV treatment in controlling oral diseases? (4) Could we develop basic inexpensive oral and dental care protocols for economically deprived HIV-infected patients? and (5) What is the best method of arranging resources to meet the oral health care needs of people with HIV disease? The consensus of the workshop participants was that there is a need to re-target research efforts to non-established market economy countries and prioritize research in these regions to children with HIV disease. It will be important to assess commonalities and variations in oral health needs across geographical and cultural boundaries, and research efforts should be centralized in resource-poor countries to support multi-center longitudinal standardized studies. It is essential that oral health research be integrated into other health care research programs, to make these research priorities and public health initiatives feasible.

Oral health training programs for community and professional health care workers in Nairobi East District increases identification of HIV-infected patients

BACKGROUND

Better knowledge and skills for diagnosis and management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) related oral lesions by primary healthcare workers (PHWs) may increase recognition of HIV-related oral lesions (HROLs) and may improve implementation of HIV testing in Kenya. For this purpose training programs at health facility and community level were evaluated.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A pre-post control-test group design in two administrative divisions of Nairobi East District was used. Clinical competencies of PHWs (n = 32 intervention, and n = 27 control) at health facility level were assessed 9 months after training, and after 6 months for community health workers, (CHWs) (n = 411 intervention and n = 404 control) using written questionnaires, clinical data and patient interviews. Effects on referral for HIV testing and actual HIV testing were assessed by comparing laboratory registries pre- and post training.

RESULTS

PHWs in intervention (n = 27; 84%) and control (n = 15; 60%) divisions, and CHWs in intervention (n = 330; 80%) and control (189; 47%) divisions, completed all questionnaires. Trained PHWs significantly increased their knowledge of HROLs (p<0.02), frequency of oral examinations, diagnosis of HROLs and referral of patients with HROLs for HIV testing. Trained CHWs significantly gained knowledge about HROLs (p<0.02) and referred more patients with HROLs to health facilities. Overall percentage of HIV-positive test results was three-fold for HROLs compared to non-HROLs. Specifically, 70% of patients with oro pharyngeal candidiasis (OPC), the most commonly diagnosed HROL, were confirmed as being HIV-positive. Increase in overall HIV testing rates (1.6% pre-, 1.2% post training) and overall percentage of HIV-positive results (13% pre-, 16% post-intervention) was not significant.

CONCLUSION

Training programs significantly increased PHW and CHW knowledge, recognition and management of HROLs but increased neither overall HIV testing rates nor overall percentage of positive tests. Speculation is that the health system and patient-related barriers seriously limit HIV testing.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Netherlands Trial Register NTR2627 (date registered 22nd November 2010), and NTR2697 (date registered 13th January 2011).

Urban legends series: oral manifestations of HIV infection

Human immunodeficiency virus-related oral lesions (HIV-OLs), such as oral candidiasis (OC) and oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL), have been recognized as indicators of immune suppression since the beginning of the global HIV epidemic. The diagnosis and management of HIV disease and spectrum of opportunistic infection has changed over the past 30 years as our understanding of the infection has evolved. We investigated the following controversial topics: (i) Are oral manifestations of HIV still relevant after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)? (ii) Can we nowadays still diagnose HIV infection through oral lesions? (iii) Is the actual classification of oral manifestations of HIV adequate or does it need to be reviewed and updated? (iv) Is there any novelty in the treatment of oral manifestations of HIV infection? Results from extensive literature review suggested the following: (i) While HAART has resulted in significant reductions in HIV-OLs, many are still seen in patients with HIV infection, with OC remaining the most common lesion. While the relationship between oral warts and the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome is less clear, the malignant potential of oral human papillomavirus infection is gaining increasing attention. (ii) Effective antiretroviral therapy has transformed HIV from a fatal illness to a chronic manageable condition and as a result expanded screening policies for HIV are being advocated both in developed and in developing countries. Affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use diagnostic techniques have been recently introduced likely restricting the importance of HIV-OLs in diagnosis. (iii) The 1993 EC-Clearinghouse classification of HIV-OLs is still globally used despite controversy on the relevance of periodontal diseases today. HIV-OL case definitions were updated in 2009 to facilitate the accuracy of HIV-OL diagnoses by non-dental healthcare workers in large-scale epidemiologic studies and clinical trials. (iv) Research over the last 6 years on novel modalities for the treatment of HIV-OLs has been reported for OC and OHL.

Feasibility of implementing rapid oral fluid HIV testing in an urban University Dental Clinic: a qualitative study

Background

More than 1 million individuals in the U.S. are infected with HIV; approximately 20% of whom do not know they are infected. Early diagnosis of HIV infection results in earlier access to treatment and reductions in HIV transmission. In 2006, the CDC recommended that health care providers offer routine HIV screening to all adolescent and adult patients, regardless of community seroprevalence or patient lifestyle. Dental providers are uniquely positioned to implement these recommendations using rapid oral fluid HIV screening technology. However, thus far, uptake into dental practice has been very limited.

Methods

The study utilized a qualitative descriptive approach with convenience samples of dental faculty and students. Six in-depth one-on-one interviews were conducted with dental faculty and three focus groups were conducted with fifteen dental students.

Results

Results were fairly consistent and indicated relatively high levels of acceptability. Barriers and facilitators of oral fluid HIV screening were identified in four primary areas: scope of practice/practice enhancement, skills/knowledge/training, patient service/patient reactions and logistical issues.

Conclusions

Oral fluid HIV screening was described as having benefits for patients, dental practitioners and the public good. Many of the barriers to implementation that were identified in the study could be addressed through training and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Incidence of oral candidiasis and oral hairy leukoplakia in HIV-infected adults in North Carolina

OBJECTIVES

To establish incidence rates and risk factors for HIV-associated oral candidiasis (OC), oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL), and any HIV-associated oral diseases (HIV-OD).

DESIGN

This prospective, cumulative case-control study followed 283 initially oral disease-free HIV-1-infected men and women for 2 years. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and incidence proportions for OC, OHL, and HIV-OD were estimated. Multivariable analyses using Poisson regression determined the most parsimonious best-fitting model explaining the outcomes.

RESULTS

Incidence rate (per 1000 person-months) was 9.3 for OC, 6.8 for OHL, and 13.5 for HIV-OD. Incidence of OC was associated with low CD4 count (adjusted IRR = 3.0 (95% CI = 1.7, 5.1)), smoking (IRR = 1.9 (1.0, 3.8)) and combination antiretroviral therapy (IRR = 0.3 (0.1, 0.8)). Incidence of OHL was associated with low CD4 count, conditional upon smoking status. Conclusions Low CD4 count and smoking are important risk factors for HIV-associated OC and OHL. Antiretroviral medications are protective for OC but not for OHL.

Dental and oral lesions in HIV infected patients: a study in Brazil

AIM

To determine the prevalence of dental and oral lesions, as well as treatment need, in a group of HIV sero-positive Brazilians. In addition, to test the association between oral manifestation of HIV infection and age, sex, mode of transmission and drug therapy.

METHOD

All HIV seropositive patients attending a dedicated dental clinic in Recife were invited to participate in the study. They were all examined by one trained and calibrated examiner and interviewed by one trained interviewer.

RESULTS

161 of 204 patients (78.9%) agreed to participate in this study. Most of the participants were male (76%), had acquired HIV sexually (74.5%), and were taking some form of antiretroviral therapy (70.8%). 33.5% had one or more oral manifestation of HIV. Candidiasis was the most common (28.6%), followed by hairy leukoplakia (9.3%), Kaposi sarcoma (2.5%), ulceration (2.5%), herpes simplex (1.2%), papiloma (0.6%), and 4.4% had periodontal disease. Only 1.2% reported xerostomia. There were no differences in the prevalence of oral manifestations of HIV infection between age groups, sexes, modes of transmission and types of drug therapy (P>0.05). The mean DMF-T score was 19 (SD 8) and 78.9% needed some form of dental treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

While the prevalence of oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS was low in this sample of HIV seropositive Brazilians, dental status was poor and need for dental treatment was high.

HIV disease

Much has been learned about HIV disease during its first 20 years of existence in North America. The virus can now be successfully suppressed by HAART therapy, yet complete viral eradication from the body has not been demonstrated, and HIV transmissions continue to occur at an alarming rate. With support of the immune system, many HIV-infected patients will avoid oral and systemic opportunistic illnesses (or at least significantly prolong their time to onset). The number of HIV-infected patients under dental care is expected to increase in the future. Thus, dentists are fortunate that oral health care can be provided safely in the community setting for all but the very sickest of AIDS patients.

Occurrence of oral lesions in relation to clinical and immunological status among HIV-infected adult Tanzanians

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association, if any, between the presence of oral lesions and clinical and immunological status of untreated HIV-infected adults in Tanzania.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

AIDS Clinical Trial Clinic (ATCC) at Muhimbili Medical Centre in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

SUBJECTS

192 HIV-infected individuals not receiving treatment; 156 individuals confirmed to be HIV-seronegative acted as a control group.

METHODS

Examination of oral structures, determination of HIV serostatus, clinical status, and peripheral CD4+ T cell and total lymphocyte counts.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Presence of oral lesions.

RESULTS

Intra-oral lesions were seen among 7.7% of the HIV-seronegative, 10.4% of the HIV-seropositive and 36.8% of the AIDS groups, respectively. Enlarged parotid glands were seen in 20% of the AIDS patients, 11.9% of the HIV-seropositives, and 5.1% of the HIV seronegatives. Enlargement of submandibular salivary glands was seen in 29.6% of the AIDS patients, 31.3% of the HIV-seropositives compared with 14.7% among the HIV-seronegatives. Multiple regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted odds ratio (OR) for presence of oral lesions. OR for an intra-oral lesion was 1.6 (95% CI = 0.5; 5.0) among the HIV-seropositives and 8.2 (95% CI = 3.5; 19.7) among the AIDS patients using the HIV-seronegatives as reference. OR for an intra-oral lesion was 0.9 (95% CI = 0.3; 2.9) in HIV-infected patients with peripheral CD4+ T cell count of between 200-500 cells mm-3 and 2.7 (95% CI = 0.9; 7.7) in patients with less than 200 cells mm-3. OR for an intra-oral lesion was 0.4 (95% CI = 0.2; 0.9) for patients with peripheral total lymphocyte counts of between 1000-2000 cells mm-3 and 0.9 (95 CI = 0.4; 2.0) for patients with less than 1000 cells mm-3.

CONCLUSION

The association of oral lesions with the clinical stage of HIV infection and to a lesser extent peripheral CD4+ T cell count does suggest that these lesions could be used as additional markers of immunosuppression and AIDS.