Entamoeba gingivalis in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients with periodontal disease

Necrotic periodontal disease is a progressive painful oral lesion in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients, and the etiology is unknown. Earlier studies of HIV-1-infected patients have shown significant changes in the viral and fungal oral microflora. The aim of this study was to relate the occurrence of protozoa to clinical symptoms and immunosuppression. Oral symptoms were registered in 45 patients at different stages of the HIV-1 infection and in 15 HIV-seronegative healthy controls. Saliva and dental plaque were analyzed for the presence of protozoa. Entamoeba gingivalis was the only protozoa found in the oral cavities of HIV-1-infected patients with periodontal disease. Its presence was not related to the degree of immunodeficiency but to the HIV diagnosis. This study describes for the first time the findings of E. gingivalis in the oral cavities of HIV-1 infected patients.