Question 1

what could the cause of my oral hairy leukoplakia?

Accepted Answer

EBV: Hairy leukoplakia is associated with epstein-barr viral infection. In many cases the patient has a defect in their immune system.

Question 2

can a yeast infection cause oral hairy leukoplakia?

Accepted Answer

May appear like it: Yeast infections or candidiasis, also referred to as thrush can certainly appear like hairy leukoplakia.  Your dentist or health care provider can perform or order a fungal stain to determine if you have candidiasis.

Question 3

can you get thrush or oral hairy leukoplakia just from common ebv or does there have to be a major condition associated that causes it? i'm scared

Accepted Answer

Unrelated to EBV: Oral thrush, the overgrowth of candida albicans in the mouth, results  when the host immune system can’t maintain its natural defense against the  fungus always present in small numbers.  Normally, the  immune system depends on the common  oral  microorganisms to keep Candida under control. Use of antibiotics, or infection with HIV can result in thrush.

Question 4

can oral hairy leukoplakia (on tongue sides and inner cheeks) be caused by some medical conditions other than hiv/ebv? i am negative for both?

Accepted Answer

: Before worrying about these or any other causes, make sure you in fact have HL; other conditions can appear similar. See a doctor, preferably an expert in oral health such as your dentist or an ENT specialist, then take it from there.

Question 5

dentist dx'd hairy leukoplakia. no other symptoms. hiv negative. cbc showed low neutrophils (1.53) but repeat testing was normal (2.4). what further tests needed to find cause? could 100mg/day amitriptyline possibly cause this?

Accepted Answer

: If you engaged in risky behavior perform the HIV testing 3 weeks and again in 90 days from exposure for a completely conclusive result. . I don't think amitriptyline plays any role here. Hairy leukoplakia doesn't necessarily have to be caused by HIV but test fully for peace of mind.

Question 6

could oral hairy leukoplakia be caused by chewing a lot of nicotine gum? tested negative for hiv & rarely get sick/infections, but internet indicates this is almost always due to immune-compromise. any tests i should request to check immune status?

Accepted Answer

: Did you really have a biopsy and lesions have the characteristic features of hairy leukoplakia? If you truly have oral hairy leukoplakia then you are correct about this lesion which is an Epstein-Barr virus-induced lesion that occurs almost entirely in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Take care.

Question 7

how can i tell if i have a hairy leukoplakia?

Accepted Answer

Context is important: Hairy leukoplakia appears as a white, adherent thickening, usually located on the side of the tongue, but occasionally elsewhere on the tongue, on the gums, or  the lining of the cheek. Because its appearance is similar to other conditions, identification relies on the simultaneous presence of immune system depression from disease (e.g., HIV infection, leukemia), or immunosuppressive therapy.

Question 8

help! what can be causing my hairy leukoplakia?

Accepted Answer

Hairy Leukoplakia: Primary cause may be epstein-barr virus (ebv), although excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, chewing tobacco, chronic irritation, combination of these factors may play a role. I hope you are seeing an oral surgeon for evaluation, monitoring and possible biopsy.

Question 9

how are leukoplakia & hairy leukoplakia different?

Accepted Answer

Different: Hlp is a variant of leukoplakia and is seen in HIV positive people. Leukoplakia is caused by the epstein barr virus.

Question 10

how do i know if i have leukoplakia or hairy leukoplakia?

Accepted Answer

Biopsy: Leukoplakia is clinically a "white patch". It must be biopsied to deterimine if it is harmless, or pre-malignant or malignant.  A biop "hairy" leukoplakia of the mouth is a different disorder that is seen mostly in hiv-positive people. It may be one of the first signs of HIV infection. It can also appear in other people whose immune system is not working well, such as after a bone marrow transplant.

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Doctor answers about:

Causes of hairy leukoplakia

A member asked:

What could the cause of my oral hairy leukoplakia?

A member asked:

Can a yeast infection cause oral hairy leukoplakia?

A member asked:

Can you get thrush or oral hairy leukoplakia just from common ebv or does there have to be a major condition associated that causes it? i'm scared

A member asked:

Can oral hairy leukoplakia (on tongue sides and inner cheeks) be caused by some medical conditions other than hiv/ebv? i am negative for both?

A member asked:

Dentist dx'd hairy leukoplakia. no other symptoms. hiv negative. cbc showed low neutrophils (1.53) but repeat testing was normal (2.4). what further tests needed to find cause? could 100mg/day amitriptyline possibly cause this?

A member asked:

Could oral hairy leukoplakia be caused by chewing a lot of nicotine gum? tested negative for hiv & rarely get sick/infections, but internet indicates this is almost always due to immune-compromise. any tests i should request to check immune status?

A member asked:

How can i tell if i have a hairy leukoplakia?

A member asked:

Help! what can be causing my hairy leukoplakia?

A member asked:

How are leukoplakia & hairy leukoplakia different?

A member asked:

How do i know if i have leukoplakia or hairy leukoplakia?

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