Prevalence and Clinical Implications of HPV Infection in Oral Cavity and Oropharynx in HIV+ Men

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with several types of oral lesions (OLs), including oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), especially in HIV-positive individuals. Objectives: To identify the prevalence and clinical implications of the alpha (α) and beta (β) genera of HPV in the oral cavity and oropharynx of HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: T-cell counts were obtained. Exfoliative cytology was performed, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from the samples to identify α and β HPV genera through endpoint polymerase chain reaction (PCR). OLs associated with HPV infection were described, and histopathological and immunohistochemical findings for p16 were reported. Results: A total of 71.3% of the participants were positive for any HPV genus (22.4% α-HPV and 49.2% β-HPV). The 6.3% had OLs associated with HPV, principally leukoplakia, and although six of nine samples were p16 positive, none were malignant. Conclusion: The prevalence of HPV infection in the oral cavity and oropharynx in HIV + MSM was high; however, the associated OLs were infrequent and not malignant. Future studies are necessary to evaluate the clinical relevance of HPV infection and p16-positive OLs.