HPV infection is the principal cause of a distinct form of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) that is increasing in incidence among men in the US, but little is known about the epidemiology of oral HPV infection.

Scientists at Ohio State University (Columbus, OH, USA) and others carried out a cross-sectional study was conducted as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2010, on a statistically representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized USA population. Eligible men and women, aged 14 to 69 years, were examined at mobile examination centers. There were 5,579 participants who provided a 30-second oral rinse and gargle with mouthwash. For detection of HPV types, DNA purified from oral exfoliated cells was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction and type-specific hybridization.

From oral exfoliated cells, DNA was purified after centrifugation and sequential digestion with DNase-free RNase A and proteinase K using the Qiagen Virus/Bacteria Midi kit and Pathogen Complex 800 program on the Qiasymphony SP instrument (Qiagen; Germantown, MD, USA). Detection of 37 HPV types within the Alphapapillomavirus genera was performed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with PGMY primer pools and primers for β-globin followed by line-blot hybridization (Roche Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test; Roche Molecular Systems; Branchburg, NJ, USA).

The results of the study showed that the prevalence of oral HPV infection was 6.9 and the prevalence of HPV type 16, the type that is most strongly linked with OSCC, was 1.0%. Oral HPV infection rates were highest among those aged 30 to 34 years, and 60 to 64 years and men had a significantly higher rate of infection than women did, 10.1% versus 3.6%. Infection was less common among men and women without a history of any type of sexual contact, than among those who did have such a history. The rate of infection went up in line with number of sexual partners and cigarettes smoked per day. The study was published on January 26, 2011 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

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