Comparative study of human papilloma virus in untreated and ultraviolet-treated psoriatic patients.
BACKGROUND
Psoriasis is a proliferative disease, and human papilloma virus (HPV) may be one of the causative factors underlying its pathogenesis.


OBJECTIVE
To study whether the presence of the virus in psoriatic patients is due to the proliferative nature of the disease or due to the immunosuppression induced in patients receiving phototherapy.


METHODS
Using a nested polymerase chain reaction, a skin biopsy was taken and examined for HPV expression in 20 untreated psoriatic patients, 20 psoriasis patients under phototherapy [narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB)], 20 psoriasis patients under systemic photochemotherapy (psoralen and UVA), 10 healthy controls, and 10 non-psoriatic patients under UV treatment.


RESULTS
The virus detection rate in psoriatic patients under photochemotherapy (60%) was significantly higher (P<0.05) compared with the other groups, while the frequency of the virus in the untreated psoriatic group (0%) was statistically insignificant compared with the normal control group (20%).


CONCLUSIONS
UV treatment may be an underlying factor predisposing patients with psoriasis to infectivity by HPV together with other factors.
Salem
Samar Abdallah Mohamed
SA
Dermatology and Venereology Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Zuel-Fakkar
Nehal Mohamed
NM
Fathi
Ghada
G
Abd El-Reheem
Sameh Mostafa
SM
Abd El-monem El-Tabakh
Alaa
A
Ragab
Dalia Mitwalli
DM
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011701:PUVA Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000378:metabolism*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*