Herpetiform ulceration

Abstract

The rationale for the clinical existence of a less commonly found form of recurrent oral ulceration, herpetiform ulceration (HFU), is presented, illustrated by six clinical cases. The clinical and laboratory features that separate it from recurrent herpetic ulceration (RHU) and recurrent minor aphthous ulceration (RAU) are discussed. Although a viral cause has been proposed for this condition, based on the finding of intranuclear bodies, electron microscopic and other laboratory investigations by the authors indicate that there is insufficient evidence at present to confirm this. Since HFU does have a significant number of histologic and immunologic features in common with recurrent aphthous ulceration, it is thought that it should be considered to be a variant of this condition until the true cause of it is revealed.