Burning Mouth: An Initial Examination of a Potential Role of Herpes Virus Infection

Abstract

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is a burning sensation of the oral mucosa that occurs in the absence of a clinical or laboratory finding. Since herpes virus infections are common in the oropharynx, a possible association between BMS and post-herpetic neuralgia was speculated. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate a potential viral role in the etiology of BMS. Materials and Methods: Viral serology (HSV, CMV, VZV IgM and IgG) obtained from 9 patients with BMS was compared to that of 13 patients with other oral mucosal conditions.Results and Discussion: The general profile of the BMS patients in this trial fits the profile of these patients reported in the literature. No IgM seropositivity for any of the 3 viruses was recorded in the BMS patients. Although most subjects in the two groups were positive for HSV, CMV, and HZV IgG, no difference in the prevalence was noted between burning mouth and the control groups. The positive IgG findings indicate past exposure to the viruses as expected in the general population. Although no evidence was found that would support the presence of an active viral infection in BMS subjects, the possibility of a “hit and run” role for viral damage in BMS could not be ruled out based on the present sample.