Comparative study of human papilloma virus in untreated and ultraviolet-treated psoriatic patients.

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a proliferative disease, and human papilloma virus (HPV) may be one of the causative factors underlying its pathogenesis.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To study whether the presence of the virus in psoriatic patients is due to the proliferative nature of the disease or due to the immunosuppression induced in patients receiving phototherapy.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Using a nested polymerase chain reaction, a skin biopsy was taken and examined for HPV expression in 20 untreated psoriatic patients, 20 psoriasis patients under phototherapy [narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB)], 20 psoriasis patients under systemic photochemotherapy (psoralen and UVA), 10 healthy controls, and 10 non-psoriatic patients under UV treatment.

RESULTS

The virus detection rate in psoriatic patients under photochemotherapy (60%) was significantly higher (P<0.05) compared with the other groups, while the frequency of the virus in the untreated psoriatic group (0%) was statistically insignificant compared with the normal control group (20%).

CONCLUSION

UV treatment may be an underlying factor predisposing patients with psoriasis to infectivity by HPV together with other factors.