Identification of DNA sequences of both genital and cutaneous HPV types ina small number of keratoacanthomas of nonimmunosuppressed patients

Background: Viral infection was suggested to be etiologically involved in s kin tumor development. Data on the association of human papillomavirus (HPV ) with keratoacanthomas are still conflicting. Objective: Analysis of HPV i nfection in keratoacanthomas of the general population. Methods: HPV DNA wa s detected by nested PCR. To include a broad range of both cutaneous and mu cosal HPV types, HPV PCR was performed with two sets of degenerate primers. Results: Considering only beta-globin-positive specimens, HPV DNA was dete cted in 20% of the specimens obtained from 18% of the patients. The spectru m of HPV types detected contains HPV types 6, 14, 16, 35, 58 and 61. In 1 c ase, the underlying HPV type was not identified. In 1 specimen with transit ion towards squamous-cell carcinoma, HPV 16 was detected. Conclusions: HPV is probably not generally associated with the etiology of keratoacanthoma b ut may be relevant in individual cases. Oncogenic HPV types may be cofactor s for malignant transformation of initially benign skin lesions like kerato acanthomas.