[Therapy of oral hairy leukoplakia with acyclovir]

Oral hairy leukoplakia was treated in six patients with (a) acyclovir (i.v. or p.o.), (b) 0.1% vitamin-A acid solution or (c) human beta-interferon-gel (10(5) I.E./g) in a total of 23 therapeutic courses. In 5/6 patients, acyclovir (7.5 mg/kg every 8 h i.v. or 5 x 400 mg p.o. over 5-10 days) led to partial (n = 1) or complete (n = 4) remission. After 1-6 months, however, the leukoplakia recurred in all cases. Vitamin-A acid solution (n = 3) led to remission in one and to improvement in the others. Human beta-interferon gel (n = 3) had no visible effect. The efficacy of acyclovir is further evidence of the concept that the Epstein-Barr virus is a major cause of oral hairy leukoplakia.