# Bald tongue due to vitamin B12 deficiency is called as:
A. Moeller’s glossitis
B. Benign migratory glossitis
C. Strawberry tongue
D. Gingivostomatitis
The correct answer is A. Moeller's glossitis.
Pernicious Anemia, or Addison's anemia or Biermer's anemia
• Seen due to deficiency of Vit. B12 or Erythrocyte maturation factor or extrinsic factor.
• Peripheral neuropathy due to degeneration of posterior and lateral tracts of the spinal cord with loss of nerve fibers and degeneration of myelin sheath is seen.
• Tongue is "beefy red" in color and characteristically shows glossitis, glossodynia, and glossopyrosis.
• There is gradual atrophy of papillae of the tongue resulting in a "bald" tongue which is often referred to as Hunter's glossitis or Moeller's glossitis which is similar to the "bald tongue of sandwith" seen in pellagra.
• RBC count of < 1 million, macrocytosis, poikilocytosis, polychromatophilic cells, stippled cells, nucleated cells, Howell-Jolloy bodies, and Cabot's ring are the laboratory findings.
• Bone marrow studies reveal immature red cells or MEGALOBLASTS. Polymacrocytes (macropolyps) are large polymorphonuclear leukocytes with large poly-lobed nuclei are also found.
• Achlorhydria or lack of HCL secretion is a constant feature of the disease.
• The oral and general manifestations of "sprue" are closely related to pernicious anemia.