Oral lesions in a group of Thai people with AIDS

The objectives of the study were to assess the prevalence of oral lesions present in Thai people with AIDS and to determine whether gender influences the occurrence of oral lesions.

Extra- and intra-oral examinations were performed on 124 AIDS patients (90 men, aged 19-62 years, median 30 years; and 34 women, aged 19-41 years, median 28 years).

Oral lesions were found in 102 patients (82%). Pseudomembranous candidiasis was the most common lesions, (n = 67; 54%) followed by erythematous candidiasis (n = 31; 25%), and hairy leukoplakia (n = 16; 13%). Other lesions were atypical ulcers (n = 14; 11%), periodontal disease (n = 9; 7%), angular cheilitis (n = 8; 6%), and infection with herpes simplex virus (n = 6; 5%). Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was the only detected neoplasm (n = 5; 4%). Other lesions caused by fungi were histoplasmosis (n = 5; 4%) and penicilliosis (n = 2; 2%). Xerostomia was also found to be a common condition (n = 79; 63%). Most patients had a total number of lymphocytes of less than 1000 cell mm-3 (n = 85; 68%).

The types of oral lesions observed in AIDS patients in Thailand show some similarities with studies from other countries. The prevalence of oral lesions did not appear to be influenced by gender.