DEMONSTRATION OF EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS DNA AND HUMAN-PAPILLOMAVIRUS DNA IN ACETOWHITE LESIONS OF THE PENILE SKIN AND THE ORAL-MUCOSA

Oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL), thought to be caused by Epstein-Barr vir us (EBV), shows similar histological and clinical features to human pa pillomavirus (HPV)-related acetowhite lesions of the vulva. We thus ai med to investigate the role of both HPV and EBV in men with acetowhite lesions of the penis. HPV but not EBV was significantly associated wi th penile acetowhite lesions showing koilocytosis compared with normal penile skin (12/20 versus 5/20, P < 0.02). HPV (5/20) and EBV (6/20) was detected in oral mucosa of some of these individuals. These result s confirm an aetiological association between HPV and acetowhite penil e lesions showing koilocytosis. HPV and EBV carriage in the oral mucos a is relatively common in young sexually active men.