Correlation of addictive factors, human papilloma virus infection and histopathology of oral submucous fibrosis

J Oral Pathol Med (2010) 39: 460–464 Background: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a widely prevalent, potentially malignant disorder of the oral cavity in the Indian subcontinent. Areca nut has been incriminated as the main causative factor. However, other factors, including viruses may also play a role in the initiation/development of these lesions. This study was designed to assess the correlation of addictive factors, human papilloma virus infection and histopathology of OSMF. Methods: One hundred and thirteen cases of OSMF were studied. Demographic information of each patient, including the patient’s age, sex, addiction habits and histopathological grading was obtained. Presence of high‐risk human papilloma virus (HR‐HPV) DNA was detected using the Hybrid Capture II assay. Results: Of 105 cases finally included in the study, 33 (31.4%) patients were found to be positive for HR‐HPV, while 72 (68.6%) were negative. A total of 52/105 (49.5%) patients chewed areca nut, of whom 18 (34.6%) patients were found to be positive and 34 (63.5%) were negative (P = 0.08). A total of 18/105 (17.1%) patients were addicted to smoking, of whom five (27.7%) were positive (0.69). Only one (11.1%) patient, who was only habituated to alcohol, was positive (1.08). Of the 105 patients 26 (24.7%) chewed as well as smoked tobacco, of whom, nine (34.6%) were positive and 17(65.3%) were negative (P = 0.67). Thus, there was no significant association between the various addiction habits and the presence of HR‐HPV. On correlating the various histopathological grades of the disease with HR‐HPV positivity a Pearson correlation of 0.053 was obtained (P = 0.588). Thus, again no significant correlation was observed between the different histopathological grades and HR‐HPV positivity. Conclusion: In conclusion, it was found that there is neither significant correlation between HR‐HPV infection and the various addiction habits nor with the different histopathological grades of the disease. To the best of our knowledge, a study of these different factors has never been attempted before in patients with OSMF.