Oral Cavity and HIV Infection

The immunosuppression associated with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its consequence the Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), predisposes to a large series of opportunistic infections (OI) and neoplasms, such as Kaposi´s sarcoma (KS) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas [1,2]. These clinical complications are named as AIDS-defining diseases. AIDS defining illnesses include a group of pathologies whose incidence in the HIV individuals is much bigger compared with the general population. Oral cavity is a frequent engagement site in all stages of the natural history of HIV infection. The knowledge of these oral cavity clinical manifestations should suggest to the dentist the possibility of HIV infection and to investigate the serological status of the patient. For this reason, oral cavity should be carefully examined in all patients. Oral cavity manifestations of HIV infection should be classified in two groups; nonspecific clinical lesions and those directly related with the progressive immunosuppression.