Introduction: The association between genital Bowen Disease (BD) and human papillomavirus (HPV) especially HPV-16 infection is well known, but it is more rarely related to extragenital BD. The aim of this study was to detect the presence of oncogenic HPV infection in the BD of the hands considering the histology and the presence of oncogenic HPV detected by in situ hybridization (ISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Material and methods: Eleven formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples of BD of the hands were selected. We looked for koilocytosis using standard histological procedure. ISH was performed using genomic HPV DNA probes types 16, 18 and 33 labeled with digoxigenin. Next, with a new amplification system using biotinyled tyramide (Kit Dako Gen Point K620) was used to detect hybrids. Otherwise, Baay's HPV type specific primers (type 16, 18, 31 et 33) were chosen for PCR.
Results: Koilocytosis were observed in all cutaneous samples. HPV 16 was detected in 9/11 cases (82 p. 100): 2/10 with ISH and 9/11 with PCR.
Discussion: We report here the largest series of BD of the hands, associated with HPV type 16 infection. This high rate (82 p. 100) compared to the other series is linked to the high sensitivity of PCR and is increased by the choice of Baay's oligonucleotide primers. Besides, the low HPV rate (2/10) by ISH, is similar to those obtained in the other series. Although ISH is less sensitive than PCR, the morphological study was useful to argue the pathogenicity of HPV. Finally, the high prevalence of genital oncogenic HPV on the hands, plaid in the scratching hypothesis resulting in autoinoculation from HPV lesions in the genital region.