Benign proliferative epithelial lesions of oral mucosa are infrequently associated with α‐, β‐, or γ human papillomaviruses

Background Oral papillomas and verruca vulgaris have been associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. However, approximately half of these have remained HPV‐negative when tested for mucosal HPV genotypes. In this study, we evaluated presence of α‐, β‐, and γ‐HPVs in benign papillary and verrucous lesions. Methods Eighty‐three clinical lesions with suspected HPV etiology were analyzed for HPV types of genus α (n = 24), β (n = 46), and γ (n = 52). Immunohistochemistry was used for p16 as a possible surrogate marker of high‐risk HPV, accompanied by Ki‐67 proliferation marker. Results Altogether, α‐HPVs were detected in 6.4%, β‐HPVs in 2.4%, and γ‐HPV in 4.8%. The following genotypes were identified: HPV6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 161, and 170. Neither Ki‐67 nor p16 positivity alone were associated with HPV but combined staining showed significant inverse association (P = .042). Conclusion HPV infection is found only in a minority of benign verrucous and papillary oral lesions, with the predominance of α‐HPVs.