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Intraoral isolated herpes zoster
Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, and Oral Pathology
|February 1, 1978
Summary
A rare case of herpes zoster (shingles) affecting only the mouth
Area of Science:
- Oral medicine
- Virology
- Pathology
Background:
- Herpes zoster (shingles) typically presents with a characteristic skin rash.
- Oral involvement in herpes zoster is less common and can mimic other conditions.
Observation:
- A patient presented with herpes zoster exclusively affecting the right palate and alveolar ridge.
- No concurrent skin lesions or underlying systemic diseases were identified.
- Clinical presentation included significant swelling and induration of oral tissues.
Findings:
- The isolated oral lesions initially raised suspicion for malignancy due to their appearance and the absence of typical shingles symptoms.
- Cytologic smears suggested malignancy, complicating the initial diagnosis.
- A biopsy was essential for definitively diagnosing herpes zoster and ruling out cancer.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering herpes zoster in the differential diagnosis of isolated oral lesions, even without skin manifestations.
- Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial to differentiate from oral cancer and initiate appropriate antiviral treatment.
- The study underscores the diagnostic challenges posed by atypical presentations of viral infections in the oral cavity.