HIV shedding in the oral cavity: an assessment of HIV type, immunovirologic, demographic and oral factors.

Objective: To quantify the prevalence and burden of HIV type 2 (HIV-2) and HIV-1 RNA in the oral cavity of antiretroviral therapy-naive HIV-infected Senegalese individuals and to identify correlates of oral HIV viral loads.

Design: A cross-sectional study of 163 HIV-1 and 27 HIV-2-infected antiretroviral therapy-naive Senegalese adults.

Methods: Participants received clinical and oral exams and provided blood and oral wash samples for viral load and plasma CD4 count ascertainment.