Human Papillomavirus Associated Oral Lesions

Abstract

Globally, human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted viral infection in men and women. HPV is involved in the pathogenesis of several benign oral lesions. These include squamous cell papillomas, condyloma acuminatum, multifocal epithelial hyperplasia (Heck's Disease) and verruca vulgaris. Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) are a group of lesions with an increased risk of development of cancers of the oral cavity and lip. OPMDs include oral leukoplakia, oral proliferative leukoplakia, verrucous leukoplakia, erythroplakia, erythroleukoplakia, oral lichen planus (OLP), oral submucous fibrosis, actinic keratosis/actinic cheilitis, palatal lesions in reverse smokers, oral lupus erythematosus, dyskeratosis congenita, oral lichenoid lesions, oral graft versus host disease and chronic hyperplastic candidosis. Of these, three OPMDs, namely oral leukoplakia, oral proliferative verrucous leukoplakia, and OLP are known to have HPV (types 16 and 18) association. This chapter briefly discusses the HPV association with these three oral potentially malignant disorders.