Human Papillomavirus Is Present in Some Cases of Childhood Penile Lichen Sclerosus: An In Situ Hybridization and SP‐PCR Study

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Abstract
Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a skin disease that may affect both sexes at all ages and at any site. Its etiology remains unknown. The observation of focal koilocytotic‐like changes in the stratum malpighii in prepuce samples of LS in children prompted us to investigate the presence of HPV‐DNA. Twenty‐three paraffin‐embedded samples of LS lesions from children aged 4 to 14 years were studied using nested‐PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH). Twelve out of 23 cases amplified HPV‐DNA (8 cases corresponded to HPV‐DNA type 6; 2 cases each to HPV‐DNA types 16 and 18). ISH detected HPV sequences in the nuclei of koilocytotic and some parakeratotic cells in 13 cases (9/13 also HPV‐DNA positive by PCR). Our results demonstrated the presence of HPV‐DNA in roughly 70% of cases of LS of the prepuce in children. We highlight the observation of koilocytotic‐like changes in the prepuce and its association with HPV. The possible pathogenetic significance between the virus and the lesion is not settled.