Herpes zoster manifesting as isolated oral thin leukoplakia in an immunocompetent host

Abstract

Herpes zoster (HZ) has long been considered as a disease of immunocompromised elders. It is usually caused by the revitalized varicella; remaining dormant within the sensory ganglia of sacral dermatomes since an early childhood stint at chickenpox. Trigeminal nerve is rather uncommonly infested. Characteristic zoster lesions appear as unilateral mucocutaneous vesiculobullous rashes, preceded by intense radiating neuralgic pain for few days. This article emphasizes on an immunocompetent man, in his early sixties, presenting with two painful leukoplakic patches over buccal mucosa as the sole manifestation of HZ.

Keywords

• dermatome
• exfoliative cytology
• herpes zoster
• oral leukoplakia
• varicella