Epstein-Barr virus and human papillomavirus in snuff-induced lesions of the oral mucosa

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) have been associate d with benign as well as malignant oral lesions. We examined 43 patients wi th snuff-induced lesions and 22 control patients with clinically healthy or al mucosa for the presence of HPV and EBV. Polymerase chain reaction was pe rformed on fresh frozen oral biopsies with degenerate consensus primers for HPV and nested primers for EBV. None of the 43 snuff-induced lesions or th e 22 control biopsies were HPV-positive. Seven of the 43 (16.3%) snuff-indu ced lesions and one of the 22 (4.5%) controls were positive for EBV. The sn uff-induced lesions were classified according to clinical severity. grade 1 lesions being the least severe and grade 4 the most severe. Eleven percent of grade 2 lesions, 15.8% of grade 3 lesions and 20% of grade 4 lesions we re EBV-positive. Neither EBV nor HPV seem to be associated with snuff-induc ed lesions.