Vincent's angina

Background

  • Fusospirochetal infection of the pharynx and palatine tonsils, causing "ulcero-membranous pharyngitis and tonsillitis"[1]
  • Same pathogenic organisms as acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG)
  • Vincent's angina is sometimes confused with ANUG, but the former is tonsillitis and pharyngitis, and the latter involves the gums

Clinical Features[2]

Pseudomembrane of right tonsil.
  • Superficial ulceration and necrosis of the tonsils and pharynx that often results in formation of a pseudomembrane
  • Foul smelling breath
  • Odynophagia
  • Submandibular lymphadenopathy
  • Exudate
  • Patients typically have poor oral hygiene

Differential Diagnosis

Acute Sore Throat

Bacterial infections

Viral infections

Noninfectious

Other

Dentoalveolar Injuries

Odontogenic Infections

Other

Oral rashes and lesions

Evaluation

  • Diagnosis based on clinical findings and gram stain

Management

Uncomplicated Disease

Complicated Disease

Disposition

See Also

External Links

References

  1. Taylor, FE; McKinstry, WH (1917). "The Relation of Peri-dental Gingivitis to Vincent's Angina." Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine. 10 (Laryngol Sect): 43–8.
  2. Marx, J. A., Hockberger, R. S., Walls, R. M., & Adams, J. (2002). Rosen's emergency medicine: Concepts and clinical practice. St. Louis: Mosby.
  3. Melio, Frantz, and Laurel Berge. “Upper Respiratory Tract Infection.” In Rosen’s Emergency Medicine., 8th ed. Vol. 1, n.d.
  4. Atout R. N. et al. Managing Patients with Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis. J Can Dent Assoc 2013;79:d46. http://www.jcda.ca/article/d46. Accessed April 2015
  5. Stephen J. et al Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis Empiric Therapy. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2028117-overview. Accessed April 2015