An acute or recurrent gingivitis of young and middle-aged adults characterised clinically by gingival erythema and pain, fetid odour, and necrosis and sloughing of interdental papillae and marginal gingiva which gives rise to a gray pseudomembrane; fever, regional lymphadenopathy, and other systemic manifestations also may be present. A fusiform bacillus and Treponema vincentii can be isolated from the gingival tissues in large numbers and are felt to play a significant but poorly defined role in the pathogenesis.
Synonym: fusospirochetal gingivitis, trench mouth, ulceromembranous gingivitis, Vincent's disease, Vincent's infection.
(05 Mar 2000)