Oral soft tissue manifestations and CD4 lymphocyte counts in HIV-infected children

This study investigated the prevalence of oral soft tissue lesions in children infected with HIV and the relationship of CD4 lymphocyte levels with the prevalence of those lesions. Sixty HIV-positive children enrolled in the Children's Hospital AIDS Program (age 5.8 +/- 3 years) were selected for study. Only five subjects (8%) had healthy gingiva and a low mean plaque index (22%). The remainder had gingivitis or periodontitis with relatively high plaque indices (47, 55, and 94%, respectively). A declining CD4 lymphocyte count (1357 to 35) was associated with an increasing severity of gingival disease.