Multifocal epithelial hyperplasia: a case report of a family of Somalian descent living in Australia

Multifocal epithelial hyperplasia (MEH) presents as painless, single or multiple nodular or papular lesions with a sessile base, ranging in diameter from 0.1 cm to 1.0 cm, frequently coalescing. Lesion color varies from red to white, depending on the extent of keratinization. The condition appears mainly in children and adolescents and regresses spontaneously. The etiological factors and pathogenesis of MEH are speculative. A 13-year-old boy presented to the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne for dental examination revealing several asymptomatic, exophytic, pink, sessile, smooth-surfaced nodules on the lateral borders of the tongue and lingual surface of the lower lip. The subject is of Somalian background and one of 11 siblings aged 2 to 22 years old living with his parents in an overcrowded residence. Examination of other family members revealed the presence of similar lesions in 2 younger sisters. An incisional biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of MEH histopathologically.