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Hunter's glossitis
System: Blood & Lymph Signs · All blood & lymph signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
A smooth, red, sore tongue whose surface papillae have wasted away (atrophic glossitis).
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, as in pernicious anaemia.
◈ Behind the name
William Hunter (1861–1937), Scottish physician, who described the tongue changes of pernicious anaemia.
Related signs — Blood & Lymph Signs
Browse the H section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.