Oral and Genital Human Herpesvirus 8 and Human Papillomavirus in heterosexual partners

Background: The purpose of this study was to verify a possible co‐infection of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8) in commonly associated human papillomavirus (HPV) penile lesions and to determine the frequency of detection of these viruses in the oral mucosa of their female counterparts. Methods: Thirty‐one male subjects underwent penile swabs from clinical HPV‐related lesions. Their female counterparts underwent swabs of the vagina, uterine cervix, and oral mucosa. HPV and HHV‐8 detection was performed by polymerase chain reaction using the consensus primers MY11/MY09 and KS1/KS2, respectively. Results: HPV DNA was detected in 31/31 penile lesions. HPV DNA was also detected in 18/31 (58%) female genital brushings and 17/31 (54%) female oral brushings. HHV‐8 DNA was detected in 1/31 (3.2%) male genital brushings and 3/31 (9.6%) female oral mucosa brushings. None of the female genital brushings were HHV‐8 DNA‐infected. Conclusions: Based upon the results of this study, co‐infection between HPV and HHV‐8 in malignant and pre‐malignant penile lesions is an unlikely finding.