Benign Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid Associated With Herpes Simplex

To the Editor.— This letter is to report the case of a herpes simplex (HS) virus cultured from a lesion of benign mucous membrane pemphigoid (BMMP). I originally presented this case at a meeting of the Tucson Dermatological Society, June 26, 1978. Report of a Case.— A 51-year-old man has had constant vesicles of the buccal mucosa, soft palate, and tongue for two years. Examination showed clusters of tense, clear vesicles surrounded by a halo of erythema on his soft palate. The dorsa of his tongue showed clusters of denuded vesicles and scarring. A biopsy specimen of a lesion showed a denuded epidermis and a nonspecific dermal infiltrate. Direct immunofluorescence showed the following results: IgA, negative; IgG, linear 2+ homogenous staining at dermal-epidermal junction; IgM, linear 1 + homogenous staining at DE junction; C3 focal 1+ staining of DE junction; C4, negative; fibrin, negative; and no evidence of antinuclear antibody binding.