Ageing with HIV - a periodontal perspective.

Area of Science:

• Oral microbiology
• Infectious diseases
• Gerontology

Background:

• The oral microflora composition is crucial for oral health, especially in HIV-infected patients.
• Age-related changes in periodontal pathogens within the HIV-positive population remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and compare age-related temporal changes in the frequency of periodontal pathogens in younger (≤35 years) and older (≥50 years) HIV-infected and non-infected individuals.

Main Methods:

• Bacterial DNA was isolated from buccal swabs of 60 subjects (30 younger, 30 older) across HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups.
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to detect specific periodontal pathogens: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Eikenella corrodens, Peptostreptococcus micros, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola.
• Oral and periodontal examinations were conducted for all participants.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of detected microorganisms was significantly higher in HIV-positive patients compared to controls, with a distinct shift in their distribution.
• The decreasing incidence order in HIV-negative subjects was: Prevotella intermedia > Peptostreptococcus micros > Porphyromonas gingivalis > Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans > Eikenella corrodens > Tannerella forsythia > Treponema denticola.
• In HIV-positive subjects, the order was: Prevotella intermedia > Peptostreptococcus micros > Eikenella corrodens > Porphyromonas gingivalis > Tannerella forsythia > Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans > Treponema denticola.
• Oral manifestations of HIV infection were more frequent in older patients. Clinical periodontal parameters were significantly worse in older HIV-positive patients compared to younger ones.

Conclusions:

• Ageing in HIV-positive individuals is associated with a substantial increase and rearrangement of periodontal microflora.
• These microbial shifts may exacerbate oral health issues and potentially impact systemic health in aging HIV-positive populations.