title: Periodontal pocket as a potential reservoir of high risk human papilloma virus: A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human papilloma viruses (HPVs) are small DNA viruses that have been identified in periodontal pocket as well as gingival sulcus. High risk HPVs are also associated with a subset of head and neck carcinomas. HPV detection in periodontium has previously involved DNA detection. This study attempts to: (a) Detect the presence or absence of high risk HPV in marginal periodontiun by identifying E6/E7 messenger RNA (mRNA) in cells from samples obtained by periodontal pocket scraping. (b) Detect the percentage of HPV E6/E7 mRNA in cells of pocket scrapings, which is responsible for producing oncoproteins E6 and E7.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pocket scrapings from the periodontal pockets of eight subjects with generalized chronic periodontitis were taken the detection of presence or absence of E6, E7 mRNA was performed using in situ hybridization and flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HPV E6/E7 mRNA was detected in four of the eight samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Presence of high risk human papillomaviruses in periodontal pockets patients of diagnosed with chronic periodontitis, not suffering from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in the present day could link periodontitis to HPV related squamous cell carcinoma. Prevalence studies are needed detecting the presence of HPV in marginal periodontium as well as prospective studies of HPV positive periodontitis patients are required to explore this possible link.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, K.V.G Dental College, Sullia, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Manjunath Mundoor
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dayakar
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, K.V.G Dental College, Sullia, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shipilova
authors.affiliation: Director, Curehealth Diagnostics Pvt., Ltd., New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gupta
keywords: E6/E7 messenger RNA; head and neck carcinoma; human papilloma virus; periodontal pocket