Prevalence of HPV 7 papillomas in the oral mucosa and facial skin of patients with human immunodeficiency virus

Abstract

To the Editor.— The majority of human papillomaviruses isolated from cutaneous lesions have been associated with papillomatous lesions in epidermodysplasia verruciformis. Development of benign and malignant lesions containing specific viruses, eg, human papillomaviruses 5,8, and 9, and related human papillomaviruses, were reported to be correlated with the failure of cell-mediated immune functions as cause of this disease. 1 The extensive verrucosis found in renal transplant patients also seems to be a common complication caused by therapeutic immunosuppression. Here human papillomaviruses 5 and 8 are found in premalignant and malignant cutaneous lesions, similar to that seen in patients with epidermodysplasia verruciformis. 2 The presence of these viruses has, however, not been described in any patient with normal immune status. Human papillomavirus 7 is a papillomavirus associated with warts of patients who are butchers and meat handlers. 3 These warts tend to disappear if these individuals cease to practice this occupation (S.