title: Oral mucocele/ranula: Another human immunodeficiency virus-related salivary gland disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe clinical characteristics of oral mucoceles/ranulas, with a focus on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related salivary gland diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive and clinical study, with review of patient data.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 113 referred cases of oral mucocele. The following anatomical sites were identified: lip, tongue, and floor of the mouth (simple ranulas), as well as plunging ranulas. The age and gender data of the patients with oral mucoceles were recorded. The HIV status of the patients and other information were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 30 (26.5%) males and 83 (73.5%) females. Most patients were below 30 years of age, with the peak frequency in the first and second decade. Ranula (simple and plunging) represented 84.1% of the mucocele locations. Mucocele on the lips represented 10.6%. Seventy-two (63.7%) patients were HIV positive; and 97.2% of them had ranulas. Thirty-eight (33.6%) patients presented with plunging ranulas; and 92.1% of them were HIV positive, compared with two patients presenting with plunging ranulas in the HIV-negative group. These results strongly suggest that an HIV-positive patient is statistically (P < 0.001) more at risk of presenting with not only a simple, but also a plunging ranula type.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study presents a different clinical picture of oral mucoceles/ranulas, as observed in HIV-positive patients. Additionally, it suggests a possible clinical link between the two pathologies. The authors strongly support the suggestion that oral mucocele/ranula is an HIV-related salivary gland disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  4.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Kabunda
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Syebele
authors.forename: Thifhelimbilu I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Munzhelele
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D009078:Mucocele / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011900:Ranula / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012466:Salivary Gland Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV infection; clinical characteristics; oral mucocele/ranula