[Skip to Content]
[Skip to Content Landing]

Black Tongue Discoloration

Educational Objective
Based on this clinical scenario and the accompanying image, understand how to arrive at a correct diagnosis.
1 Credit CME

An 80-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a 5-day history of fever and right shoulder pain. His temperature was 37.9 °C (100.2 °F); heart rate, 74/min; and blood pressure, 90/49 mm Hg. He had tenderness to palpation and decreased range of motion of his right shoulder. Laboratory testing showed a white blood cell count of 9.6 ×  109/L (reference, 4.0-9.0 × 109/L); C-reactive protein level, 35.6 mg/dL (reference, <0.3 mg/dL), and creatine kinase level, 1036 U/L (17.30 μkat/L) (reference, 60-270 U/L [1.00-4.51 μkat/L]). Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an effusion and synovial thickening with enhancement in the right shoulder joint and inflammation in the right subscapularis muscle. Gram stain of the synovial fluid revealed gram-positive cocci in clusters. Intravenous cefazolin therapy was initiated, and he underwent right shoulder joint arthroscopic irrigation, synovectomy, and surgical drainage for subscapularis pyomyositis. Blood and synovial fluid cultures grew methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, and intravenous cefazolin was continued. One week after hospitalization, the patient developed asymptomatic black discoloration of the dorsal surface of his tongue (Figure). He reported no prior lingual discoloration and did not smoke cigarettes, use chewing tobacco or illicit drugs, or drink alcohol.

Please finish quiz first before checking answer.

You answered correctly!

Read the answer below and download your certificate.

You answered incorrectly.

Read the discussion below and retake the quiz.

An 80-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a 5-day history of fever and right shoulder pain. His temperature was 37.9 °C (100.2 °F); heart rate, 74/min; and blood pressure, 90/49 mm Hg. He had tenderness to palpation and decreased range of motion of his right shoulder. Laboratory testing showed a white blood cell count of 9.6 ×  109/L (reference, 4.0-9.0 × 109/L); C-reactive protein level, 35.6 mg/dL (reference, <0.3 mg/dL), and creatine kinase level, 1036 U/L (17.30 μkat/L) (reference, 60-270 U/L [1.00-4.51 μkat/L]). Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an effusion and synovial thickening with enhancement in the right shoulder joint and inflammation in the right subscapularis muscle. Gram stain of the synovial fluid revealed gram-positive cocci in clusters. Intravenous cefazolin therapy was initiated, and he underwent right shoulder joint arthroscopic irrigation, synovectomy, and surgical drainage for subscapularis pyomyositis. Blood and synovial fluid cultures grew methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, and intravenous cefazolin was continued. One week after hospitalization, the patient developed asymptomatic black discoloration of the dorsal surface of his tongue (Figure). He reported no prior lingual discoloration and did not smoke cigarettes, use chewing tobacco or illicit drugs, or drink alcohol.

Survey Complete!

Sign in to take quiz and track your certificates

Buy This Activity

JN Learning™ is the home for CME and MOC from the JAMA Network. Search by specialty or US state and earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ from articles, audio, Clinical Challenges and more. Learn more about CME/MOC

CME Disclosure Statement: Unless noted, all individuals in control of content reported no relevant financial relationships. If applicable, all relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

Article Information

Corresponding Author: Yasuhiro Kano, MD, Department of Emergency and General Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Medical Center, 2-8-29 Musashidai, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8524, Japan (yasuhiro.kano.21@gmail.com).

Published Online: May 12, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.5894

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.

Additional Information: We thank the patient for providing permission to share his information.

References
1.
Gurvits  GE , Tan  A .  Black hairy tongue syndrome.   World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(31):10845-10850. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i31.10845PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
2.
Schlager  E , St Claire  C , Ashack  K , Khachemoune  A .  Black hairy tongue: predisposing factors, diagnosis, and treatment.   Am J Clin Dermatol. 2017;18(4):563-569. doi:10.1007/s40257-017-0268-yPubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
3.
Ren  J , Zheng  Y , Du  H ,  et al.  Antibiotic-induced black hairy tongue: two case reports and a review of the literature.   J Int Med Res. 2020;48(10):300060520961279. doi:10.1177/0300060520961279PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
4.
Thompson  DF , Kessler  TL .  Drug-induced black hairy tongue.   Pharmacotherapy. 2010;30(6):585-593. doi:10.1592/phco.30.6.585PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
5.
Braggio  C , Bocchialini  G , Ventura  L , Carbognani  P , Rusca  M , Ampollini  L .  Linezolid-induced black hairy tongue.   Acta Biomed. 2018;89(3):408-410.PubMedGoogle Scholar
6.
Mohseni Afshar  Z , Barary  M , Ebrahimpour  S ,  et al.  Pathophysiology and management of tongue involvement in COVID-19 patients.   Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;74(suppl 2):3235-3238. doi:10.1007/s12070-021-03052-3PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
7.
Avcu  N , Kanli  A .  The prevalence of tongue lesions in 5150 Turkish dental outpatients.   Oral Dis. 2003;9(4):188-195. doi:10.1034/j.1601-0825.2003.02933.xPubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
8.
Motallebnejad  M , Babaee  N , Sakhdari  S , Tavasoli  M .  An epidemiologic study of tongue lesions in 1901 Iranian dental outpatients.   J Contemp Dent Pract. 2008;9(7):73-80. doi:10.5005/jcdp-9-7-73PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
9.
Jahanbani  J , Sandvik  L , Lyberg  T , Ahlfors  E .  Evaluation of oral mucosal lesions in 598 referred Iranian patients.   Open Dent J. 2009;3:42-47. doi:10.2174/1874210600903010042PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
AMA CME Accreditation Information

Credit Designation Statement: The American Medical Association designates this Journal-based CME activity activity for a maximum of 1.00  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to:

  • 1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;;
  • 1.00 Self-Assessment points in the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s (ABOHNS) Continuing Certification program;
  • 1.00 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;
  • 1.00 Lifelong Learning points in the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) Continuing Certification program; and
  • 1.00 credit toward the CME [and Self-Assessment requirements] of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program

It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting MOC credit.

Close
Want full access to the AMA Ed Hub?
After you sign up for AMA Membership, make sure you sign in or create a Physician account with the AMA in order to access all learning activities on the AMA Ed Hub
Buy this activity
Close
Want full access to the AMA Ed Hub?
After you sign up for AMA Membership, make sure you sign in or create a Physician account with the AMA in order to access all learning activities on the AMA Ed Hub
Buy this activity
Close
With a personal account, you can:
  • Access free activities and track your credits
  • Personalize content alerts
  • Customize your interests
  • Fully personalize your learning experience
Education Center Collection Sign In Modal Right
Close

Name Your Search

Save Search
With a personal account, you can:
  • Access free activities and track your credits
  • Personalize content alerts
  • Customize your interests
  • Fully personalize your learning experience
Close
Close

Lookup An Activity

or

My Saved Searches

You currently have no searches saved.

Close

My Saved Courses

You currently have no courses saved.

Close