METHOD: A cross-sectional study involving 278 confirmed HIV-infected adults seen at the AIDS Preventive Initiative for Nigeria (APIN) Centre, Jos, Nigeria. Oral examination was based on the criteria established by the European Community Clearinghouse on oral problems related to HIV infection. Viral load measurement was by quantification of viral RNA in peripheral blood with a minimum detectable level of 400 RNA copies/ml. This was done using Amplicor® HIV-1 Monitor Test, version 1.5. CD4 count was determined by the Flowcytometric (Cyflow) method. Staging was by the 1993 Revised CDC classification system for HIV infection.
RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV-ROLs was 44.2%. The CD4 counts was between 3 – 873 cells/mm3 while the viral load was between 489 – 1,555,467 copies/ml. Going by the 1993 Revised CDC classification system for HIV infection, 220 patients (79.4%) had an AIDS diagnosis. All the HIV-ROLs seen had representations in the C3 group. Only a case of Oral hairy Leukoplakia was noticed in the C1 group. Psedumembreneous candidiasis, erythemathous candiasis, angular cheilitis and hairy leukoplakia were the lesions noticed with a CD4 count of 200 – 499cell/mm3 (A2, B2 and C2). Erythemathous gingival banding was only noticed with an AIDS stage.
CONCLUSION: HIV-ROLs can appear at any stage of immunosuppression. Only oral hairy Leukoplakia was seen to occur in all the stages.