Tongue Disorders
Tongue Disorders
Tongue Disorders
Herpes lesions
The tongue may be involved in herpes stomatitis Small vesicles form that rupture to leave small painful ulcers
condyloma
A STD occurring as a raised pale paillated (warty) lesion in genital/oral mucosae caused by HPV (types 6 and 11) and seen in many AIDS-cases
This lesion develops on the lateral borders of the tongue, usually bilaterally. Its clinical appearance is characterized by multiple, vertical, white to white-yellowish, hyperkeratinized lines which tend to follow the direction of the foliaceous papillae. These lesions can not be detached
OHL is caused by Epstein-Barr virus and occurs in 20 to 30% of patients with ARC (AIDS related complex), which precedes the development of AIDS and also in patients with full blown AIDS. OHL also has been reported on the floor of the mouth or the buccal mucosa in AIDS patients. Sometimes Candida infection is superimposed on OHL, which will complicate the diagnosis. OHL may occur in HIV-negative patients in people who are immuno-compromised due to organ transplant, autoimmune disorder or cancer.
OHL tends to manifest in patients who's CD4+ cell count falls below 300 cells per cc. Patients with OHL have a shorter life span than those that do not present this lesion: 30% of those developing OHL will progress within 1 year to AIDS. This shows that the status of the immune system in patients with OHL is lower than those who do not have OHL. OHL resolve in patients which undergo treatment with ARVs.
TB tongue lesion
Patients with TB may develop a lesion on the tongue as an ulcer with punched out appearance. Histology shows the typical TB granuloma (tuberculoma) with stainable organisms
Histology of TB-granuloma:
(c ) Acute antibiotic cadidiasis Long-term antibiotic treatment kills all oral flora so that the Candida multiplies to cause acute red burning tongue (glossitis) and mucosae (antibiotic stomatitis)
histology: a dense layer of neutrophils infiltrate the area next to the epithelium (E)
In some cases the papillae become black (so-called black tongue) due to Fe-containing drugs given for anemia
furred tongue
Tongue may become coated with a layer of desquamated cells that forms a pale yellowwhite layer on the dorsum in those who smoke heavy, gastro-intest. disorders and also seen during childhood fevers
Varicose tongue
An age-related condition where the ventral tongue veins become prominent
Amyloidosis of tongue
Amyloid forms as a result of: -Chronic systemic infections (eg TB) -plasma cell malignancies large amounts of immunoglobulins are formed which may be deposited (as amikloid) in soft tissues such as the tongue, which then becomes enlarged (macroglossia)
How to diagnose amiloid: slides are stained with Congo red which will show up the deposits in the tongue and around bloodvessels (red stained) and which will fluoresce green in polarized light
Malignancy of tongue
Squamous carcinomas starts as (i) red, or (ii) red-and-white or (iii) white lesions on the lateral or ventral sides of the tongue
that progresses to squamous carcinoma, an ulcer 2 or more cm in diameter, with a rolled indurated (firm) border. The cancer spreads to the neck nodes and is caused by tobacco and sometimes by tobacco in combination with HPV and/or alcohol.