Prevalence and Genotyping of Human Papillomavirus in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders, and Healthy Oral Mucosa: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to detect and genotype human papillomavirus (HPV) in tissues from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD), and healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: The study included 60 patients (31 men and 29 women; median age 60 years, IQR 41.5–69.8) admitted to the Department of Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical University of Sofia. Patients were divided into three groups: healthy oral mucosa (n = 20), OPMD (n = 20), and OSCC (n = 20). HPV was tested using punch biopsies with nested PCR and chip technology. Results: Low-risk HPV was found in four (20%) healthy individuals (types 6/11, 43), seven (35%) OPMD patients (types 6/11, 42, 43), and eleven (55%) OSCC patients (types 6/11, 42, 43). Pairwise comparison showed a significant difference in HPV positivity between healthy individuals and OSCC patients (p = 0.022). Among all HPV-positive OPMDs, the virus was detected in two leukoplakia cases (28.6%), three lichen planus cases (42.9%), one lichenoid lesion case (14.3%), and one proliferative verrucous leukoplakia case (14.3%). According to binary logistic regression, OSCC patients were 4.9 times more likely to be HPV-positive compared to healthy individuals (p = 0.027). Conclusions: HPV infection may play a potential role in the pathogenesis of OPMD and OSCC.