AEGiS-13IAC: Povidone iodine therapy for recurrent oral Candidiasis to prevent emerging Antifungal resistant Candida Strains.

13th International AIDS Conference


Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

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Povidone iodine therapy for recurrent oral Candidiasis to prevent emerging Antifungal resistant Candida Strains.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. MoPeB2281)

Kariuki E, Ngugi R, Muthotho J
E. Kariuki, Kibera Community Based Health Care, PO Box 30968, Nairobi, Kenya, Tel.: +254 2 78 15 84, E-mail: waboyk77@yahoo.com

BACKGROUND: Candida species have become a major opportunistic pathogen causing recurrent oral thrush and oesophageal candidiasis in patients with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. This has resulted in repeatedly high use of expensive anti-fungal drugs(ie Contrimazole, Amphotericin B and Nyastatin) which most of these patients cannot afford full dose. This has resulted in the development of Candida strains resistant to common antifungals in the community. Due to this, Kibera Based Health Care(KCBHC), which cares for the sick at home decided to look for cheap and effective drugs to manage this problem.

METHODOLOGY: Patients with recurrent oral thrush under the care of KCBHC were grouped in two. One group was managed with 2% Povidone Iodine mouth gurgle, the other was managed with Contrimazole or Nystatin which are routinely used. Healing effects, recurrence and development of oesophageal candidiasis and disappearance of mouth odour were monitored over two years.

RESULTS: The patients on Iodine healed within 10 days and mouth odour disappeared. Gurgling of Iodine whenever patients felt signs of recurrence prevented serious recurrence and development of oesophageal Candidiasis. Those on antifungals also healed within 10 days but continued having mouth odour. Some developed serious recurrent oral thrush which degenerated to oesophageal candidiasis. The medical cost of care using Iodine was very low compared with antifungal care.

CONCLUSIONS: Povidone Iodine mouth gurgle is effective and cheap therapy for managing recurrent oral thrush and prevents it from degenerating to oesophageal candidiasis on HIV/AIDS patients.Through seminars this treatment has been passed to other CBHC groups who have also found it to be cheap and effective treatment. This is reducing the use of antifungal drugs in the community. The antifungal drugs are used for serious systemic infections. In the long run we might reduce the emergence of the antifungal resistant candida strains.

Keywords: AEGIS, Candidiasis, Oral, Candidiasis, Candida, Antifungal Agents, Nystatin, Povidone-Iodine, Amphotericin B, Esophagitis, Mouth, HIV, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Kenya, Human, therapyKWDaegis,candidiasis,oral,candidiasis,candida,antifungalagents,nystatin,povidone-iodine,amphotericinb,esophagitis,mouth,hiv,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,kenya,human,therapy
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MoPeB2281

Copyright © 2000 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.