Detection of human papillomavirus DNA in intraosseus ameloblastoma

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been shown as a risk factor in oral carcinogenesis. The association between HPV and benign and malignant neoplasm of oral mucosa, especially surface epithelium-derived tumors, is well established. The role of HPV in pathogenesis of odontogenic cysts and tumors has been published in few articles. The aim of this study was detection of HPV in Iranian patients with intrabony ameloblastoma and investigation of specific risk factors associated with ameloblastoma. One hundred intrabony ameloblastoma and 50 age-sex matched samples as controls were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction for the detection and typing of HPV. Fisher exact and chi square tests were used to assess the data. HPV DNA was detected in 32% of patients and 10% of controls. HPV-6 was the most prevalent genotype (31.6%) in infected cases. It was followed by HPV-11 (12.5%), HPV-16 (12.5%) and HPV-31 (3.1%). We found a significant association between presence of HPV and location of tumor (p = 0.02), traumatic history (p = 0.03) and ododontic therapy (p = 0.01). These findings indicated that HPV-6 probably is one of the most important etiologic agents in causing intraosseous ameloblastoma in Iranian population. © 2006 Academic Journals Inc., USA