Correlation Of Candidal Density(CFU’s/ml) Between Normal Individuals And HIV Positive Patients

Abstract

Yeasts being opportunistic pathogens and cause disease in hosts who are prone to underlying local or systemic pathological processes. Oral candidiasis is a condition of damaged local or systemic defense process. ⁽¹⁾ Human immunodeficiency virus infection is one of the most common prevalent condition for oral candidiasis. ^(2,3) Non-albicans variety C.glabrata, C.parapsilosis, C.tropicalis, C.krusie are the variants responsible for causing disease. C.dubliniensis, a variant most appropriately resembling C.albicans may cause 15% of infections previously known to be caused by C. albicans. ^(2,4)

Because of the prevalence of newer species of Candida as pathogens and a development of change in the susceptibility pattern of Candida albicans, it becomes important to isolate and identify the causative species.The innovation of Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) has diversified the HIV infection and has become a standard treatment protocol followed for HIV infection. ⁽⁵⁾

It provides a marked reduction in viral load and increase in CD4 + cell count leading to decline in the morbidity and mortality of HIV infected subjects. ^(6,7) In HAART therapy, a range of different combination of drugs is used and each combination of drugs have merits and demerits. They are administered together to bring about progressive block in viral replication and restore immune function as well as to minimize resistance to drugs. ⁽⁶⁾

Keeping these things in view, this study was taken up to know the Candidal density(CFU’s/ml) in HIV positive individuals with and without Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy (HAART), attending the regional Voluntary Counselling and Confidential Testing Centre(VCCTC).