RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Since the new antiviral drugs, e.g. protease inhibitors, arrived for the treatment of HIV-infected patients, the main oral infections associated with HIV disease have been brought under wider control. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We examined 214 HIV-1 infected patients, that were in-patients or presented for consultation at the ENT department of the Hospital das Clinicas (São Paulo, University Medical School), between January 1996 and November 1998. We review the different disorders which may affect the buccal cavity of HIV patients, 57 patients (26.6%). We divided the patients into two groups to compare the differences in appearance of oral lesions in those ones receiving two or three antiviral drugs. We had 53 patients presenting with oral lesions, the majority of them from the group receiving two drugs. RESULTS: The "P" value test was used and we concluded that there was a significant correlation between the use of triple antiviral therapy and a decrease of buccal lesions in HIV-infected patients.