Oral Candidiasis Prevalence in HIV Patients in the City of Nova Iguaçu, Province of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is a pandemic disease which causes a change in the immune system, mainly with a decrease in CD4 lymphocytes. This circumstance facilitates the appearance of opportunistic infections and the development of neoplastic processes that may lead the patient to a clinical state known as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and death. The objective of this research is to identify species of the genus Candida of patients with AIDS and affected by lesions in the oral cavity and hospitalized in the Nova Iguaçu General Hospital. Methods: 39 samples of oral lesions were collected and examined in the mycology laboratory of the Army Biology Institute (IBEx) through mycological procedures. All of the 39 samples were positive for species of the genus Candida. Results: C. albicans was the most frequent (74%), followed by C. tropicalis (15%), C. glabrata (8%) and C. lambica (3%). The most frequent clinical presentation was the pseudomembranous form, with 24 cases (61.54%), followed by erythematous (25.64%) and chronic multifocal form (12.82%). One of the patients presented the membranous clinical form with association of C. albicans and Histoplasma capsulatum. Oral candidiasis is one of the most serious health problems among immunocompromised people. Conclusion: Early diagnosis of the HIV infection and adequate treatment are essential to prevent opportunistic infections.