Date of Award

Spring 5-17-2024

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Medical Science (MMSc)

First Advisor

Matthew Grant, MD, FIDSA

Abstract

Oropharyngeal candidiasis is the most prevalent opportunistic infection among people living with HIV. Fluconazole is the recommended treatment for the disease in immunocompromised patients, but its efficacy is waning with growing resistance of candida, the yeast that causes candidiasis. Studies have shown that probiotics decrease oral candida load, but research about the use of probiotics in HIV-positive individuals with oropharyngeal candidiasis is limited. This study will investigate whether probiotics taken with fluconazole lead to increased remission of oropharyngeal candidiasis signs and symptoms in subjects with HIV when compared to fluconazole monotherapy. Participants will be treated with a two-week fluconazole course and be randomly assigned to take probiotic or placebo lozenges. Clinical severity will be assessed weekly and the proportion of patients with clinical remission in both groups will be observed. If proven effective, probiotics offer a cheap and accessible adjunctive treatment for oropharyngeal candidiasis in this population.

Comments

This is an open access thesis.

Open Access

This Article is Open Access

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