[HIV and noma in Burkina Faso]

Noma is a "gangrenous" disease beginning in gums and spreading to other parts of the face. It usually occurs in undernourished children with bad orodental hygiene. Its incidence in adults is increasing. HIV infection is very common in African countries. We had for objective to compare noma characteristics in patients with, or without, HIV.

This retrospective and descriptive study included patients managed for noma in our unit from January 1988 to December 2007. The clinical, epidemiological, and outcome data of patients treated for noma were compared according to HIV infection status.

Two hundred and twelve patients were included and 14 (6.6%) among them were HIV positive. In the HIV positive group, there were a male predominance and patients were older (mean age 15.3 vs. 4.7 years in the other group). HIV positive patients were less frequently operated (35.7% vs. 76.3%) and their death rate was higher (37.5% vs. 5.6%).

HIV infection during the course of noma impacts the clinical and epidemiological features of this condition. It worsens the prognosis. Noma could be considered as an opportunistic infection in the WHO disease staging system.