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Original Articles
Oral Herpes Simplex Virus Infections in Leukemic Patients Undergoing Induction Chemotherapy
Myoung-don Oh, Euichong Kim*, Seonyang Park, Byung Kook Kim, Kang Won Choe
Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pathology*, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Vol.26 Num.3 (p249~254)
Background: We tried to assess the rate of oral herpes simplex virus(HSV) infection among the leukemic patients who developed oral ulcers after induction chemotherapy, and to evaluate the role HSV in the development of ulcerative mucositis.
Method: Leukemic patients who developed oral ulcers after induction chemotherapy were enrolled. To isolate herpes simplex virus from the oral lesions, samples were taken by swabbing the lesions and inoculated in culture tubes of MRC-5 monolyers. Conventional tube culture was done, and culture tubes were examined for cytopathicity of monolayers everyday under the inverted microscope till 1 week after inoculation. Clinical responses of patients with oral herpes simplex virus infection to acyclovir treatment were also evaluated.
Result: Of the 22 leukemic patients with oral ulcers, cytopathic effects(CPE) typical of herpes simplex virus were observed in 67%(15/22), whereas no CPE developed in the 25 leukemic patients without oral ulcers. Oral ulcers responded to acyclovir therapy in 87%(13/15) of the patients: symptom disappeared after 5 days, and ulcer healed-up after 7 days of acyclovir therapy.
Conclusion: Oral ulcers in leukemic patients undergoing induction chemotherapy were frequently associated with herpes simplex virus infections. Herpes simplex virus infection probably play a significant role in the development of oral ulcerative mucositis in patients with leukemia.
Keywords : Herpes Simplex Virus, Oral Mucositis, Acute Leukemia, Acyclovir