Hairy Leukoplakia

Excerpt

Hairy leukoplakia (HL) was first described in 1984 and is a disease of the mucosa. It is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), also known as human herpesvirus 4. It occurs most commonly in people infected with HIV, although it can also be seen in people who do not have HIV. Such patients usually have had an organ or bone marrow transplant or some immunocompromised disease or hematological malignancy.

However, it has also been reported in individuals who are not immunocompromised. Such immunocompetent patients have shown to be on inhaled, topical, or systemic corticosteroids for the long term, which occur as a risk factor for developing the condition. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has classified this condition as a Category-B clinical marker of HIV disease since it has a clear prognostic value in the subsequent development of AIDS.