Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 is detected in normal oral mucosa and several oral lesions, including squamous cell carcinoma, condyloma acuminatum, verruca vulgaris, focal epithelial hyperplasia, and periodontal diseases. It was hypothesized that HPV may be involved in periodontal breakdown and that periodontal tissue acts as a reservoir for the virus. Therefore, in this study, the prevalence of HPV-16 in the gingival tissue of Brazilians with periodontal health or disease is investigated.
Methods: Fifty-six gingival samples from subjects with chronic periodontitis, 26 samples from subjects with gingivitis, and 22 samples from subjects with healthy peridontium were analyzed. Total DNA was extracted, and the presence of HPV-16 was assessed using a real-time polymerase chain reaction. Positive and negative controls were included in the reactions.
Results: HPV-16 was not detected in any of the 104 gingival samples evaluated; therefore, this virus showed no association with periodontal disease in this study.
Conclusion: In the population studied, HPV-16 may not have participated in the pathogenesis of chronic periodontitis, and the gingival tissue did not act as a reservoir for this virus.