Primary Oral Histoplasmosis in Immunocompetent Host: Case Series with Review of Literature.

Histoplasmosis, a systemic mycosis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum manifests clinically in immunocompromised subjects as acute or chronic pulmonary infection or as a progressive disseminated disease. In oral region it clinically presents as multiple, granular and painful ulcers or verrucous growth. It is rare to find primary oral lesion of histoplasmosis in immunocompetent patient free from systemic disease. In presence of any unusual oral lesion possibility of Histoplasmosis should be considered and prompt diagnosis be attained with exclusion of false negative results as non-specific manifestation of disease may lead to gruesome misdiagnosis of lesion and inadequate treatment. In the present paper two cases of oral histoplasmosis in immunocompetent host have been discussed along with updated review of literature.

Immunohistochemical Coexpression of MUC1 and MUC4 in Oral Leukoplakia and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

MUC1 and MUC4 are two transmembranous proteins, which have been seen to express aberrantly in various human neoplasms and advocated as independent prognostic markers. Till now no extensive studies have been carried out on combined expression of MUC1 and MUC4 in oral leukoplakia and Oral squamous cell carcinoma. This study is an endeavour to evaluate Immunohistochemical coexpression of MUC1 and MUC4 in Oral Leukoplakia and Oral squamous cell carcinoma and furthr establish them as prognostic markers. Immunohistochemical analysis of MUC1 and MUC4 was done on 24 cases of Oral squamous cell carcinoma, 24 cases of leukoplakia and 12 normal oral mucosal tissues. Chi square test and one way ANOVA test were employed for statistical analysis. Normal oral mucosa and leukoplakia group showed higher frequency of negative immunoexpression compared to oral squamous cell carcinoma group. Furthur in Oral squamous cell carcinoma group, higher frequency of double positive coexpression in well and moderately differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma and single positive coexpression in poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma was obtained. A definite rise of immunoexpression of MUC1 and MUC4 was observed from normal oral mucosa to leukoplakia to oral squamous cell carcinoma indicative of their contribution as diagnostic and prognostic markers.