Heck's Disease: Diagnosis and Susceptibility

Abstract

Focal epithelial hyperplasia, or Heck's disease, is an uncommon proliferation of oral mucosa that presents primarily in Native Central and South American populations. It presents as asymptomatic papules or nodules on the oral mucosa, gingiva, tongue, and lips. In the majority of cases, human papilloma virus 13 or 32 is detected. Factors that determine disease susceptibility are unclear, but genetics, and having the human lymphocytic antigen-DR4 (DRB1*0404) allele in particular, are thought to play a major role in disease vulnerability. We report another case of focal epithelial hyperplasia, hypothesize on disease susceptibility, and review the current understanding of this uncommon disorder.