Viral Etiology of Gingival Recession. A Case Report

Herpes simplex virus-type 1 (HSV-1) is responsible for both primary and recurrent infections of the oral mucosa. The aim of this case report is to show how HSV-1 may cause periodontal damage such as gingival recession. A 26-year-old male patient presented in a private office for the treatment of gingival recessions. He reported that the recessions had appeared suddenly with marginal inflammation of the gingiva and vesicle formation; within a few hours, the gingival tissue had been completely destroyed. The lesions were accompanied by pain, fever, and regional lymphadenopathy. Two weeks later, the patient returned complaining of a recurrence accompanied by pain and lymphadenopathy. The following day, the patient’s condition had worsened and the depth of the recession had increased. A biopsy was taken for histological examination. A free epithelial-connective tissue graft was performed. Histological and direct immunofluorescence examinations confirmed the herpetic origin of the lesion. Eight months after su...