Oral thrush a common complication of HIV ‘because of fungi’
Experts know that organisms that live in our mouths are capable of contributing to both health and disease. It is also known that these organisms are more likely to cause oral diseases, such as oral candidiasis (oral thrush), in people with compromised immune systems – such as those who have cancer or who are infected with HIV.
In a new study, researchers compared the bacteria and fungi present in the mouths of people who are HIV-positive with the bacteria and fungi present in the mouths of healthy people. The researchers used high-throughput gene sequencing to catalogue the bacteria and fungi present. They found that there was no overall difference in the bacteria found in people infected with HIV and the healthy people. However, there were consistent differences in the oral fungi present in the two groups.