Cutaneous and oral mucosal lesions in a cardiac transplant recipient.
BACKGROUND
Solid organ transplantation no longer is considered a rare procedure. After undergoing transplants, patients will require both routine and emergent oral health care, and it can be provided safely in private dental offices. Transplant recipients are immunosuppressed, and for this reason clinicians should be alert for oral abnormalities in such patients.


METHODS
A 53-year-old man with a history of cardiac transplant and multiple medical comorbidities had unusual mucosal plaques, oral discomfort and skin lesions. As a result of his compromised immune system, the clinical presentation of his condition-which proved to be herpes zoster (HZ) virus, also called "shingles"-was atypical, resulting in a delay of the definitive diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
and


CONCLUSIONS
HZ is a serious infection in the immunocompromised population. Timely diagnosis and treatment of this condition is necessary to prevent treatment delay and medication errors.
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Oral, Head and Neck Pathology, Emory University, 1364 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA. cottrk@hotmail.com
Kelly R
KR
Magliocca
Daniel B
DB
Harris
Denise C
DC
Schain
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir