Pemphigus is a term used to describe blistering of the skin caused by binding of antibodies to the surface of the cells of the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis. In pemphigus vulgaris, the most common form of pemphigus, there are IgG antibodies that bind to the cell surfaces of epidermis of the skin as well as the epithelium lining mucosal surfaces such as the mouth. As a result, patients develop severe oral ulcerations, and may also have inflammation or erosions of the lining of the eye and eyelids (conjunctiva), the nasal mucosa, or the genital mucosa. Half of the patients also develop blisters or erosions of the skin, often in the head and neck area.
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http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/pemphigus/types.html
