Oral and genital human herpesvirus 8 and human papillomavirus in heterosexual partners.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to verify a possible co-infection of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) in commonly associated human papillomavirus (HPV) penile lesions and to determine the frequency of detection of these viruses in the oral mucosa of their female counterparts.

METHODS

Thirty-one male subjects underwent penile swabs from clinical HPV-related lesions. Their female counterparts underwent swabs of the vagina, uterine cervix, and oral mucosa. HPV and HHV-8 detection was performed by polymerase chain reaction using the consensus primers MY11/MY09 and KS1/KS2, respectively.

RESULTS

HPV DNA was detected in 31/31 penile lesions. HPV DNA was also detected in 18/31 (58%) female genital brushings and 17/31 (54%) female oral brushings. HHV-8 DNA was detected in 1/31 (3.2%) male genital brushings and 3/31 (9.6%) female oral mucosa brushings. None of the female genital brushings were HHV-8 DNA-infected.

CONCLUSIONS

Based upon the results of this study, co-infection between HPV and HHV-8 in malignant and pre-malignant penile lesions is an unlikely finding.