Oral Pemphigus Vulgaris Research Articles

Immunofluorescent study of cytologic smears in oral pemphigus: A simple diagnostic technique

This study was undertaken in order to explore the diagnostic efficacy of the direct immunofluorescent technique for demonstration of in vivo bound immunoglobulins to desquamated epithelial cells from patients with oral pemphigus. Cytologic smears were obtained with a wooden spatula from the oral lesions of thirty patients with known pemphigus vulgaris. Control smears were taken from thirty-five patients twenty suffering from various other mucosal diseases and fifteen devoid of oral lesions. The smears were stored at −30° C. and prepared within 48 hours for examination by the direct immunofluorescent technique. Deposition of IgG was demonstrated in all thirty smears from the oral pemphigus lesions. None of the control smears gave positive results. These findings suggest that the direct immunofluorescent technique using cytologic smears may provide an additional simple and reliable method in the diagnosis of oral pemphigus vulgaris.

Prepubertal Oral Pemphigus Vulgaris

Although rare, oral pemphigus vulgaris must be considered in those patients who have a prolonged history of oral lesions. The fact that chronic oral lesions characteristically precede skin changes in pemphigus emphasizes the importance of this disease to the dental profession. Patients with long-term and recurrent vesiculoulcerative oral lesions should undergo biopsy examination to establish the diagnosis. The dentist and the physician must collaborate to establish an appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic plan for the management of these patients.

Dermatology: An Annotated Bibliography of Recent Literature

Dermatology: An Annotated Bibliography of Recent Literature

Distribution of complement and immunoglobulin in oral pemphigus lesions

The present report describes four cases of oral pemphigus vulgaris lesions in which complement, in contrast to the situation as reported for skin, was found only in the basal and parabasal layer, whereas IgG was present in all layers of the epithelium.

Oral Pemphigus and Bullous Pemphigoid

A patient with oral pemphigus vulgaris and a patient with oral bullous pemphigoid were studied with immunofluorescence. The serum from both patients contained no demonstrable circulating antibodies, but direct staining of specimens obtained from the oral mucosa revealed characteristic fluorescence and established the diagnosis. The lack of circulating epidermal antibodies, therefore, does not rule out pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid. Direct immunofluorescence must be performed in order to exclude these diseases as a cause of chronic blistering of the oral cavity.