Oral hairy leukoplakia: A manifestation of primary infection with Epstein-Barr virus?

Oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL) is a characteristic lesion presumably secondar y to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation. It is frequently seen in indivi duals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and less often i n other immunosuppressed individuals. The frequent association of this lesi on with HIV infection and its rare occurrence in normal individuals usually motivates the search for immunosuppression, particularly secondary to HIV, when this lesion is found. We describe here a healthy HIV-negative individ ual with OHL and clinical and laboratory data suggestive of acute EBV infec tion.