Oral Sexual Behaviors Associated with Prevalent Oral Human Papillomavirus Infection

TLDR

Oral human papillomavirus infection is a known cause of oropharyngeal cancer. The study examined whether sexual behaviors linked to increased risk of oropharyngeal cancer also raise the risk of oral HPV infection in control patients. Among 332 outpatient controls, 4.8% were positive for oral HPV, and among 210 college‑aged men, 2.9% were positive; in controls, higher lifetime numbers of oral or vaginal partners increased infection odds, while in men, higher recent numbers of oral sex or open‑mouth kissing partners increased odds, but vaginal partners did not.

Abstract

Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a cause of oropharyngeal cancer. We investigated whether sexual behaviors that elevated the odds of oropharyngeal cancer developing in a case-control study similarly elevated the odds of oral HPV infection developing among control patients. HPV infection was detected in 4.8% of 332 control patients from an outpatient clinic and in 2.9% of 210 college-aged men (age range, 18-23 years). Among control patients, the odds of infection developing independently increased with increases in the lifetime number of oral (P = .007, for trend) or vaginal sex partners (P = .003, for trend). Among college-aged men, the odds of oral HPV infection developing increased with increases in the number of recent oral sex partners (P = .046, for trend) or open-mouthed kissing partners (P = .023, for trend) but not vaginal sex partners. Oral sex and open-mouthed kissing are associated with the development of oral HPV infection.