Association between epidermodysplasia verruciformis- associated human papillomavirus DNA in plucked eyebrow hair and solar keratoses

Epidermodysplasia-verruciformis-associated human papillomavirus DNA has bee n demonstrated in squamous cell carcinomas and plucked hair from immunocomp etent patients and renal transplant recipients. This study investigated the association between infection with epidermodysplasia-verruciformis-associa ted human papillomavirus, identified by the detection of viral DNA in pluck ed eyebrow hairs, and solar keratoses. These lesions are strongly predictiv e of squamous cell carcinoma. In a cross-sectional study 518 individuals we re enrolled from a randomly selected sample of a subtropical Australian com munity. Epidermodysplasia-verruciformis-associated human papillomavirus DNA in eyebrow hair was detected using a nested polymerase chain reaction spec ific for epidermodysplasia-verruciformis-associated human papillomavirus ty pes. Epidermodysplasia-verruciformis-associated human papillomavirus DNA wa s present in 121 (49%) of 245 men and 116 (44%) of 262 women. There was a s trongly significant increase in epidermodysplasia-verruciformis-associated human papillomavirus infection with age (p < 0.00001), with prevalences of 29% in the 25-39 y age group, 42% at 40-59 y and 65% in the 60-79 y age gro up. Among men there was a strong association between epidertnodysplasia-ver ruciformis-associated human papillomavirus and solar keratoses with an odds ratio, adjusted for age, skin color, and occupational sun exposure, of 3.4 0 (95% confidence interval, 1.77-6.53). No such association was found among women [odds ratio 1.03 (95% confidence interval 0.59-1.77, after adjustmen t for the same factors)]. Differences in occupational sun exposure and smok ing histories could not explain these apparently different associations bet ween epidermodysplasia-verruciformis-associated human papillomavirus infect ion and solar keratoses in men and women. In conclusion, epidermodysplasia- verruciformis-associated human papillomavirus infection is associated with solar keratoses in men suggesting that epidermodysplasia-verruciformis-asso ciated human papillomavirus infection, in conjunction with sex specific fac tors (like androgens), may be involved in neoplastic changes of keratinocyt es.