Lupus vulgaris of the Oral Mucosa

Abstract

4 cases of lupus vulgaris of the oral mucosa were found to be associated with asymptomatic pulmonary tuberculosis. The patients presented with single or multiple ulcerations of the mouth with an irregular periphery and a granular vegetative fundus. The diagnosis was established histologically and by the favorable and rapid response of the oral lesions to the antituberculosis therapy.

Oral tuberculosis: a clinical evaluation of 42 cases

“…In our cases histopathological examination of the biopsy specimens or on material collected by fine needle aspiration on cervical swellings was an important aid in the diagnosis of the disease because the finding of granulomatous lesions with epithelioid cells was highly suggestive of tuberculosis; the microbiological detection of Mycobacteria was negative in almost 50% of the cultures and smears we performed. The difficulties in detection of Mycobacteria in oro-facial tuberculosis, either by staining or by culture, are clearly reported in the literature (Chishlom et al, 1978;Laskaris and Nicolis, 1981;Waal and Kwast, 1988;Hocking and Choi, 1997;Garciade-Lomas and Navarro, 1997).…”

Palatal ulceration of long evolution

“…Although it is the most common variant, [2] oral location is rare with a frequency between 0.5% and 3.5% of all cases of lupus vulgaris. [3,4] LV is a chronic disease which normally appears as a unique lesion characterized by a soft, well-defined, brown-reddish irregular plaque which grows progressively. [5] In these lesions, the bacillus is difficult to find because its usually in a paucibacillary state and only 6% of the cultures are positive.…”