HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUSES ARE COMMONLY FOUND IN NORMAL SKIN OF IMMUNOCOMPETENT HOSTS

We have previously demonstrated, by the combined application of two de generate polymerase chain reaction primer sets, the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in 91% of cutaneous squamous cell cancers fro m renal allograft recipients, with multiple types being present in one -third of these tumors. Five HPV types - HPV 20, HPV 23, HPV 38, DL40, and DL267 - accounted for 73% of positive results, These HPV types ar e all related to the epidermodysplasia verruciformis group, and HPV 38 was originally isolated from a melanoma, The aims of this study were to determine: (i) whether HPV DNA could readily be demonstrated in ski n tumors, as well as in perilesional skin, of immunocompetent patients using two polymerase chain reaction primer sets; (ii) the prevalence of infections in normal skin; and (iii) the prevalence of HPV 38 or HP V 38 related viruses in melanoma, The HPV types detected in lesions fr om renal allograft recipient were present not only in the perilesional skin and tumors of immunocompetent patients, but also in 35% of norma l skin biopsies. HPV DNA was present in 13% of the melanoma samples, b ut none harbored HPV 38 DNA. We identified four putatively new HPV typ es. Infections with different types of human papillomavirus are widesp read and often occur in clinically normal skin. In vitro studies are r equired to determine the specific molecular mechanisms by which these HPV types may be involved in the etiology of nonmelanoma skin cancer.