PEMPHIGUS VULGARIS: AN INSIGHT ON CONVENTIONAL AND EMERGING TREATMENT MODALITIES

According to Sir William Osler, Mouth is the mirror of the body which reflects systemic diseases. The oral mucosa may be affected by a variety of muco-cutaneous diseases and oral lesions may occur first or very early in several muco-cutaneous disorders. Pemphigus is a group of potentially life threatening, chronic auto immune disorder characterized by epithelial blistering affecting muco-cutaneous surfaces. Autoantibodies in pemphigus vulgaris are directed against desmoglein in epithelial desmosomes, and the immune deposits result in intra-epithelial splitting (acantholysis). Oral lesions in the form of blisters and erosions are the first to manifest, and diagnosis is made by positive nikolsky’s sign, coupled with characterstic histopathology and immunofluorescent features. Corticosteroids form the mainline of treatment, but adjuvant and newer therapies are also been used at an increasing rates. This article deals about the etio-pathogenesis, clinical characterstics, diagnosis and treatment strategies for pemphigus vulgaris.