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Primary herpetic gingivostomatitis is a rare disease in adults.1 To our knowledge, no case of severe herpetic gingivostomatitis has been reported in association with pemphigus vulgaris, although two cases of fatal generalized herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection have been described in adults receiving steroid therapy for pemphigus.2,3 We describe a patient with pemphigus vulgaris and acute herpetic gingivostomatitis. REPORT OF A CASE A 67-year-old man initially complained of bullous and erosive oral lesions in April 1980. These lesions, clinically interpreted as herpetic gingivostomatitis, were treated by a physician with the antiviral drug inosiplex without any improvement in the patient's condition. Treatment with topical adrenal corticosteroids was also unsuccessful. The patient's medical history was essentially normal. In June 1980, the patient was admitted to the hospital with a temperature of 37.5 °C and general malaise.Findings from a physical examination showed that the patient's mouth was tender and the