RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the influence of Candida albicans on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals susceptible to oral candidiasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In vitro secreted aspartyl proteinase activities, adhesion to healthy buccal epithelial cells of Candida albicans isolates from oral cavities of subjects with and without HIV infection were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The pathogenetic isolates of Candida albicans from HIV-positive patients were significantly lower than that from HIV-negative subjects (P < 0.01) in secreted aspartyl proteinase activities and adhesion to buccal epithelial cells. There was no difference in commensals between these two groups. In the HIV-positive group, no difference was found between the pathogenetics and the commensals. However, in the HIV-negative group, the virulence of the pathogen was significantly higher than the commensals (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These results indicate that oral candidiasis was not correlated with some predominant strains of Candida albicans with higher virulence in HIV-positive subjects.</p>