THE CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INTRAORAL HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS-INFECTION IN 52 IMMUNOCOMPETENT PATIENTS

Objective. Intraoral herpes simplex virus infection is commonly mistak en for recurrent aphthous stomatitis. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical features of intraoral herpes simplex virus infe ction. Study design. Fifty-two immunocompetent patients with culture-p ositive intraoral herpes simplex Virus infection were studied. Results . The median age of the patients was 42 years. One third of the patien ts exhibited single ulcers; the remaining patients displayed multiple lesions. In 47 of 52 cases, the ulcers occurred on keratinized surface s of the oral cavity; however, 5 patients had persistent ulcerations o n nonkeratinized mucosa, a typical feature of herpetic ulcers in immun osuppressed patients. Of 27 patients with histories of recurrences, 22 were previously incorrectly diagnosed with recurrent aphthous stomati tis. Conclusions. Herpes simplex virus infection of the oral cavity ca n usually be differentiated from other causes of recurrent oral ulcera tions on the basis of its clinical appearance and distribution. The re cognition of atypical features may prevent unnecessary and costly trea tments for unrelated though clinically similar-appearing disorders.