Prevalence of human papilloma virus type 5 DNA in psoriatic patients: association with disease severity and exposure to phototherapy

ABSTRACT

Background: Human papillomaviruses [HPVs] are small epitheliotropic DNA viruses that can induce cutaneous and mucosal lesions and appear to be closely linked to skin cancers. A broad variety of HPV types which have been referred to as epidermodysplasia verruciformis [EV] HPVs. It was found that patients with psoriasis revealed high prevalence of EV-associated HPV, suggesting that EV-HPV can act as putative antigen contributing to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In particular, some viral genotypes HPV-5 and HPV-36 have been associated with psoriasis