Human papillomavirus DNA in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in the Free State, South Africa

Abstract

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) have been associated with a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV DNA in archived formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissue from patients with histologically confirmed HNSCCs in a South African cohort. A nested PCR was used for the detection of HPV DNA targeting the L1 gene. Positive samples were confirmed using an in‐house hemi‐nested PCR targeting the E6 gene and genotyped by sequence determination of amplicons. HPV DNA was detected in 57/780 (7.3%) samples, with the highest prevalence being in the sinonasal tract (16.0%) and oropharynx (10.8%). HPV16 was the most frequently detected type, being found in 26/57 (45.6%) positive samples. The prevalence of HPV DNA in HNSCCs found in this study was lower than that found in developed countries