title: Epstein-Barr Virus and Its Association with Oral Hairy Leukoplakia: A Short Review.
abstract: In immunocompromised subjects, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection of terminally differentiated oral keratinocytes may result in subclinical productive infection of the virus in the stratum spinosum and in the stratum granulosum with shedding of infectious virions into the oral fluid in the desquamating cells. In a minority of cases this productive infection with dysregulation of the cell cycle of terminally differentiated epithelial cells may manifest as oral hairy leukoplakia. This is a white, hyperkeratotic, benign lesion of low morbidity, affecting primarily the lateral border of the tongue. Factors that determine whether productive EBV replication within the oral epithelium will cause oral hairy leukoplakia include the fitness of local immune responses, the profile of EBV gene expression, and local environmental factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0208, South Africa.
authors.forename: Razia Abdool Gafaar
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Khammissa
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0208, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jeanine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fourie
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0208, South Africa.
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chandran
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0208, South Africa.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lemmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0208, South Africa.
authors.forename: Liviu
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8209-153X
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feller