title: Oral hairy leukoplakia in a patient with ulcerative colitis.
abstract: A 30-year-old man with ulcerative colitis developed oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL). Serological examination for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and HIV-2 infection showed no abnormalities. Biopsy specimen of the lateral tongue showed ballooned prickle cells, and electron microscopy revealed herpes-type viruses. Immunologic investigation of the patient showed a marked decrease in T-helper cells as a result of immunosuppressive regimen. The present report appears to be the first well-documented case of OHL in an HIV-negative patient with ulcerative colitis. OHL may be a marker for severe immunosuppression but is not necessarily associated with HIV infection. Patients with iatrogenic immunosuppression should be monitored for OHL. Concerning the marked decrease in T-helper cells in this case, the presence of OHL may imply the examination of T-lymphocyte subsets in patients such as HIV-infected individuals or in organ transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: St. Claraspital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flückiger
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laifer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Itin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D017733:Leukoplakia, Hairy / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology