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

## TL;DR

This study found high HPV infection rates in the mouths and throats of HIV-positive men who have sex with men, but few cases of cancerous or pre-cancerous lesions.

## Contribution

The study reports the prevalence of both alpha and beta HPV genera in HIV+ MSM and their association with oral lesions.

## Key findings

- 71.3% of participants tested positive for any HPV genus, with beta HPV being more common than alpha HPV.
- Only 6.3% of participants had HPV-associated oral lesions, primarily leukoplakia, and none were malignant.
- Six of nine oral lesion samples were p16 positive, suggesting potential pre-cancerous changes.

## Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with several types of oral lesions (OLs), including oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), especially in HIV‐positive individuals.

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).

A cross‐sectional study from January 2022 to May 2023 was performed. Ninety‐four participants were included; their sexual habits, risk factors, HIV‐1 viral load, and CD4+ 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.

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.

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.