New Approaches to Candida and Oral Mycotic Infections: Workshop 2A

This workshop reviewed aspects of the following: oral fungal disease in HIV-infected patients and the predictive value of oral mucosal disease in HIV progression; the role of the oral biofilms in mucosal disease; microbial virulence factors and the pseudomembranous oral mucosal disease process; the role that oral mucosal disease may have in HIV transmission; and the available topical antifungal treatment. This article summarizes the ensuing discussions and raises pertinent problems and potential research directions associated with oral fungal disease in HIV-infected patients, including the frequency of oral candidosis, the role of the intraoral biofilm in the development of oral mucosal disease, and host-pathogen interactions, as well as the development of the fetal oral mucosa, neonatal nutrition, and the role of oral candidosis in this setting. Finally, discussions are summarized on the use of inexpensive effective antifungal mouthwashes in resource-poor countries, the potential stigmata that may be associated with their use, as well as novel topical medications that may have clinical applicability in managing oral candidal infections in HIV-infected patients.