The rarity of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the oral cavity and fingernails suggested that oral/fingernail HPV did not account for a significant fraction of HPV in genital sites in mid-adult women, according to a study of 409 women aged 30 to 50 years who were followed up for 6 months. Researchers found:

• Prevalence of detecting HPV in the oral cavity (2.4%) and fingernails (3.8%) was low compared with the vagina (33.1%).

• Concordance across anatomical sites was poor.

• Concurrent vaginal infections with the same HPV type (OR=101.0) and vaginal HPV viral load were each associated with fingernail HPV detection.

• Abnormal Papanicolaou history (OR=11.1), lifetime number of male vaginal sex partners at least 10, and lifetime number of open-mouth kissing partners at least 16, were each associated with oral HPV detection.

Citation: Fu TC, Hughes JP, Feng Q, et al. Epidemiology of human papillomavirus detected in the oral cavity and fingernails of mid-adult women. [Published online ahead of print October 30, 2015]. Sex Transm Dis. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000362.