Diagnosis of HPV from oral manifestation: case report

Abstract

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), with more than two hundred known genotypes. HPV infection is common and frequently asymptomatic, being transmitted through autoinoculation, direct or indirect contact, mainly through oral sex or high-risk sexual practices. It affects about 75% of women during their lifetime, but only a small fraction develops persistent cellular changes. The most common benign lesions in the oral cavity include verruca vulgaris, squamous papilloma, condyloma acuminatum, and multifocal epithelial hyperplasia, with squamous papilloma being the most prevalent. The aim of the present study is to report a case of HPV diagnosis through oral manifestations. A 34-year-old female pa tient with a 1 cm nodular lesion on the lateral border of the tongue, without pain. An excisional biopsy was performed for anatomopathological evaluation, with the histopathological diagnosis of papilloma. This report emphasizes the importance of differential diagnosis of oral lesions that may indicate STIs, for proper guidance and treatment, especially in cases of unawareness of the condition.