Overview
Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune disease of the skin and mouth (mucous membrane). Autoantibodies attack molecules that essentially hold the skin cells together, causing them to separate and resulting in blisters. Pemphigus vulgaris is characterized by multiple lesions or blisters that do not heal, or that recur and spread to larger portions of the body. As many as 80% of the cases first exhibit symptoms in the mouth, and the mouth is sometimes the only site of lesions.
Typically, those with pemphigus vulgaris will have multiple ulcers that persist for weeks to months. Blistering may be accompanied by severe pain, itching, burning, and stinging. If extensive, blistering can lead to life-threatening fluid loss, infection, and disfigurement. Fatalities from pemphigus vulgaris are extremely unlikely in the United States; however, timeliness of treatment is critical.
Pemphigus vulgaris is categorized as an ultra-rare disease, and, consequently, as many as 80% of cases are misdiagnosed for an average of 6 months. With treatment, lesions can heal normally without scarring. Most patients treated for pemphigus will enter a partial or full remission within 2–5 years.
