Severe presentation of necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis in a Nigerian HIV-positive patient: a case report.

OBJECTIVE

To report a case of severe necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis (NUP) with a rarely associated sequestrum formation in a Nigerian HIV-positive patient.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTION: A 47-year-old HIV-positive male patient with no history of previous dental visits presented with a severe toothache in his lower jaw of 4 weeks' duration, which had affected his ability to chew properly. Clinical examination revealed marked gingival inflammation, moderate gingival recession and mobility of some of his lower anterior teeth: 31, 32, and 33. There was also a sequestrum present associated with the affected teeth. His CD4 cell count was 226 cells/mm(3). His viral load was very high (360,082 copies/ml). The intervention included thorough debridement of the necrotic lesion and sequestrectomy. The patient responded well to treatment after 1 week of follow-up. Unfortunately, the CD4 count was not assessed further because the patient was lost to follow-up.

CONCLUSION

This case showed that a high CD4 cell count does not necessarily prevent the occurrence of NUP in HIV-positive patients. Intervention might have enhanced a rapid positive response to the treatment within a short time.