CANDIDA-ALBICANS ISOLATES FROM HIV-INFECTED AND AIDS PATIENTS EXHIBITENHANCED ADHERENCE TO EPITHELIAL-CELLS

The increased prevalence of oral candidosis associated with HIV infect ion must be intrinsically related to immunological changes in the host , but might also involve alterations to the infecting strains of yeast . This study aimed to determine if strains of Candida albicans isolate d from asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals or AIDS patients possesse d altered adherence properties in an in-vitro buccal epithelial cell ( BEG) adherence assay. C. albicans isolates from 49 patients with HIV i nfection or AIDS adhered to BEC in significantly higher numbers than i solates from 49 control subjects (p < 0.001). No significant differenc es in adherence were detected between strains isolated from HIV-infect ed or AIDS subjects, or between strains isolated from C. albicans carr iers (low salivary C. albicans counts) or subjects with oral candidosi s. The presence of whole saliva significantly inhibited the binding of candida to BEC (p < 0.001), but the significant difference in adheren ce between the HIV/AIDS and control isolates was maintained. The effec t of saliva was independent of salivary candida antibodies and was abo lished by treatment with protease or neuraminidase, suggesting the inv olvement of salivary mucins. The results of this study suggest that HI V infection is associated with the selection of strains of C. albicans with an increased ability to adhere to oral mucosa.