European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Superinfection is highly relevant to the disciplines of public health and immunology because it indicates that primary infection may provide only limited cross-immunity against re-exposure to a new strain of the virus. Development of a prophylactic vaccine may be more challenging if superinfection with a particular virus is common.HIVsuperinfection occurs when an HIV-infected individual becomes re-infected with a new phylogenetically distinct viral HIV strain. AIM: Aim of the study is to assess the knowledge of superinfection in HIV individuals among dental students and dental practitioners. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional questionnaire was designed and distributed to 105 dental students and practitioners. Questionnaire includes email address, year of study, and questions about knowledge of superinfection in HIV individuals and various methods of detecting superinfection in HIV individuals. Data was collected, statistically analysed and results were obtained. RESULTS: Among the study population, majority of the study population (91.4%) aware that superinfection can occur in HIV individuals, whereas 7.6% of the study population not sure about the superinfection and 1.9% of the study population not aware of superinfection that occur in HIV individuals. CONCLUSION: Most of the dental students and dental practitioners (91.4%) were aware of superinfection in HIV individuals. The results observed in our study showed that most of the dental students (third year, final year, intern) aware about dual infection, types of dual infection, difference between superinfection and coinfection and various diagnostic assays for superinfection in HIV individuals.