Oral paracoccidioidomycosis: a retrospective study of 62 Brazilian patients

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the pr ofile of patients with oral paracoccidioidomycosis referred to two Dental S chools in Belo Horizonte (MG, Brazil) between 1955 and 1998, Despite the im portance of the oral manifestations of this disease, few papers in the Engl ish literature have provided epidemiological data. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The medical records of 62 patients presenting oral pa racoccidioidomycosis were reviewed in detail, Patient age, gender, race, oc cupation, site of lesion and type of clinical manifestation of the disease were tabulated. RESULTS: There was a predominance of male patients (97%), with a male:femal e ratio of 30:I. The mean age was 40 years, Most of the patients were farm workers (53%). Some patients presented multiple oral lesions(19 cases, 30%) , The fungal lesions were found principally in the alveolar process and gin giva, but were also seen on the palate, lip and buccal mucosa, All patients had chronic proliferative mulberry-like ulcerated oral lesions and the dia gnosis was confirmed histologically, The clinical records did not contain n otes about pulmonary involvement by the lesions. CONCLUSION: The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiological p rofile of a specific population with the diagnosis of oral paracoccidioidom ycois. The major goal is to establish a scientific basis for initiating edu cational programs for prevention and early diagnosis of oral paracoccidioid omycosis.