Detection of human papillomavirus types 6 and 11 in pubic and perianal hair from patients with genital warts

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 are of clinical importanc e due to their role in the development of anogenital warts. A pilot study w as performed to investigate whether DNAs from HPV types 6 and 11 are presen t in hairs plucked from the pubic and perianal regions and eyebrows of pati ents with genital warts at present and patients with a recent history of ge nital warts, Genital HPV DNA was detected in 9 of 25 (36%) pubic hair sampl es and in 11 of 32 (50%) perianal hair samples by the CPI/CPIIg PCR. After sequencing of 17 of 20 samples, HPV type 6 or 11 was detected in 6 of 25 (2 4%) hair samples from the pubis and 8 of 22 (36%) hair samples from the per ianal region. These types were not detected in plucked eyebrow hairs. In co ntrast, the HPV types associated with epidermodysplasia verruciformis were detected in similar proportions (62%) in both samples of pubic and eyebrow hairs. Moreover, HPV type 6 and 11 DNAs were detected in pubic hairs plucke d from mo patients mho had been successfully treated and who did not show a ny lesion at the time of hair collection; this finding is an argument that RPV DNA may persist in this region, The presence of genital HPV types in pl ucked pubic and perianal hair suggests that there is an endogenous reservoi r for HPV which may play a role in the recurrences of genital warts.