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

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