Intraoral isolated herpes zoster.

A case of herpes zoster limited to the right palate and the edentulous alveolar ridge in the absence of concurrent skin lesions or predisposing systemic disease is presented. Because of the relative rarity of isolated mucous membrane lesions of this viral disease, the tendency for intraoral vesicles to break down and ulcerate early, and, in this patient, the additional clinical findings of marked swelling and induration, malignancy rather than herpes zoster was suspected; cytologic smear furthered the suggestion of the former. A biopsy provided the definitive diagnosis.