High-risk human papillomavirus in the oral cavity of women with cervical cancer, and their children

• Published in: Virology journal Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 131
• Main Authors: Saini, Rajan, Khim, Tan P, Rahman, Sarah A, Ismail, Mazian, Tang, Thean H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 16.06.2010; BioMed Central Ltd; BMC
• Subjects: adolescence; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; alcohols; Alphapapillomavirus - genetics; Alphapapillomavirus - isolation & purification; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cervical cancer; Child; Child, Preschool; childhood; Complications and side effects; contraceptives; Diagnosis; Female; Human papillomavirus; Humans; Infant; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Male; marital status; Middle Aged; mouth; Mouth - virology; Mouth diseases; mouth neoplasms; mucosa; Papillomaviridae; Papillomavirus infections; Papillomavirus Infections - epidemiology; Papillomavirus Infections - transmission; Papillomavirus Infections - virology; risk; Risk Factors; tobacco; uterine cervical neoplasms; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - epidemiology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - virology; Virology; Young Adult; Malaysia; Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Oral Lesion; Cervical Cancer; Oral Cavity; Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis
• ISSN: 1743-422X; 1743-422X
• DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-7-131

Background Association of High-risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV) with oral cancer has been established recently. Detecting these viruses in oral cavity is important to prevent oral lesions related to them. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HR-HPV in the oral cavity of women with cervical cancer, and their children. A total of 70 women, previously diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 46 children of these women, born by vaginal delivery only, were selected for this study. Buccal swabs were collected from their oral cavity and HPV detection was carried out using Hybrid Capture 2 high-risk HPV (HC2 HR-HPV) detection system. Results Out of 70 women with cervical cancer, four (5.71%) were found to be positive for HR-HPV in their oral cavity. No association of HR-HPV was found with sociodemographic profile, marital status, reproductive history, tobacco and alcohol usage, contraceptive pills usage, and presence of oral lesions (p>0.05). Among children, HR-HPV in the oral cavity was detected in only 1 of the 46 subjects examined (2.17%). Clinically healthy oral mucosa, without any oral lesions, was observed in all the HR-HPV positive subjects. Conclusion The result of this study showed that there is low, if any, risk of HR-HPV infection in the oral cavity of women with cervical cancer. Further, our study suggests that there is very low risk for children of women with cervical cancer, to acquire and sustain HR-HPV in their oral cavity until childhood or adolescence.