Thesis (M.S.)--The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2019
Includes bibliographical references
The objective of this study was to compare clinical outcomes and oral microbiome changes following comprehensive dental care in HIV+ patients.Twenty-seven HIV+ patients received periodontal treatment, oral hygiene instructions, caries control, and extraction of hopeless teeth. Systemic (viral load, CD4 counts, ART regimen) and oral clinical parameters (presence of caries, gingival and plaque indices) were measured at baseline (BL), 12-months (12M), and 24-months (24M) after therapy. Differences between clinical and microbial parameters between BL, to 12M, or 24M were determined.Factors associated with changes in relative abundance of bacterial genera include smoking status, CD4 counts, and anti-retroviral mediation status. Several genera appear to be driving changes including Megasphaera, Kingella, Veillonella, and Prevotella. After one year of dental treatment, the oral microbiome shifts to a more HIV-negative, health-associated microbiome with increased alpha diversity of genera. This change in diversity plateaus in the second year of treatment in a well-maintained population
Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Mich. : ProQuest, 2019
