HAIRY LEUKOPLAKIA

Course overview

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 ARE USUALLY THOSE WHO HAVE HAD AN ORGAN OR BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT OR SOME IMMUNOCOMPROMISED DISEASE OR HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HAIRY LEUKOPLAKIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.