HIV Oral Bacterial Microbiome

Changes in human oral microbiota have been linked to diseases of aging that are common in HIV, including atherosclerosis and certain cancers. Oral pathology, including thrush, oral hairy leukoplakia and periodontal disease, is common in chronic HIV infection. HIV has been associated with shifts in the microbiome at several sites, although no studies have longitudinally assessed oral microbiome change in the setting of controlled ART initiation. Here, we characterize the oral bacterial microbiome before and after 24 weeks of ART.