A study of the subgingival microflora of HIV-seropositive and CD4 cell depleted children with hemophilia.

The cultivable subgingival bacterial flora from three HIV-seropositive and CD4 cell depleted children with hemophilia were examined in this study. The numbers of CD4 cells of the subjected children ranged from 4.9 to 16.3 per mm3 blood. Streptococcus species, including, beta-hemolytic streptococcus identified as Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis, were predominant in the subgingival plaque samples. Actinomyces species were also frequently found. Gram-negative rods other than Capnocytophaga species were not common in these samples. It is possible that the subgingival microbial flora are influenced by the CD4 cell decrease with HIV infection.