THE DETECTION OF HUMAN-PAPILLOMAVIRUS DNA IN SKIN TAGS

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with benign cutaneous or muco sal lesions and with malignant tumours, but none of the HPV types has so far been related to skin tags. Skin biopsy specimens from 49 Caucas ian patients suffering from the presence of multiple soft fibromas wer e analysed by means of dot blot hybridization and by polymerase chain reaction assays aimed at detecting all known HPV types. The results re vealed the presence of HPV DNA type 6/11 in 88% of the skin tags exami ned. This result supports the hypothesis that HPV plays a part in the progression of cutaneous soft fibromas, as previously reported for lar yngeal papillomas.