A Pilot Study into the Association between Oral Health Status and Human Papillomavirus—16 Infection

Abstract

Background: Over the next 20 years, oropharyngeal cancers (OPC) will represent the majority of head and neck cancers (HNCs) in the United States. It is estimated that human papillomavirus (HPV) may account for as much as 70% to 80% of OPCs in North America and in certain parts of Europe. It is hence crucial to understand the disease risk factors and natural history of oral HPV infections. We hypothesized that poor oral health (by measures such as poor oral hygiene and periodontal disease) leads to a higher degree of oral HPV-16 infections within a patient cohort from a dental school clinic. This study aims to test this hypothesis and gauge possible disease associations before larger scale studies. Subjects and Methods: 223 participants were recruited in this study from the University of Queensland Dental School clinic. Clinical oral health parameters (such as oral hygiene measures and periodontal disease measurements) have been examined and determined by dental professionals. We have collected oral rinse samples from these volunteers. Results: 10 (4.5%) out of 223 participants were found to have HPV-16 DNA in their oral rinse samples using NB2 endpoint PCR and Sanger sequencing. Within the HPV-16 DNA positive subjects, 7 (70%) and 3 (30%) were associated with poor oral hygiene and periodontal disease, respectively. Conclusion: Our results show a trend towards a positive correlation between oral HPV-16 infection and poor clinical oral health status.

Oral manifestations of human papillomavirus infections

“…Of these participants, 10 (4.5%) were HPV‐16 DNA positive according to PCR and Sanger sequencing. Within the HPV‐16 DNA‐positive subjects, seven (70%) and three (30%) were associated with poor oral hygiene and periodontal disease, respectively . Thus, a trend toward a positive correlation between oral HPV‐16 infection and poor clinical oral health status was shown.…”

An Occult HPV-Driven Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Discovered Through a Saliva Test

“…Salivary oral rinse samples of this individual were collected at baseline, 6, 12, 36 month, and 2 weeks after his bilateral tonsillectomy using previously published method (8)(9)(10). Briefly, participants were asked to swish and gargle for 1-2 min with 2 × 10 mL volumes of 0.9% saline, prior to expectorating the rinse sample into a 50 mL falcon tube.…”

Barrier use during oro‐genital sex and oral Human Papillomavirus prevalence: Analysis of NHANES 2009–2014

“…According to the most recent Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data, the incidence of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancers was 11.2 per 100,000 individuals from 2010 to 2014 (Howlader et al, ). Recent trends globally and in the United States show an increasing prevalence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs; Bhatia & Burtness, ; Chaturvedi et al, ; Stein et al, ) which has been attributed to the rising rates of oral Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection (Bhatia & Burtness, ; Chaturvedi et al, ; Sun et al, ). On average, across the world, 31% of all OPSCCs can be attributed to HPV (Taberna et al, ).…”