Human papillomavirus type 6/11 identified in an epidermoid cyst of the scrotum

Abstract

To date, epidermoid cysts associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection have been described mainly in palmoplantar locations, and have involved HPV types 60 and 57. In contrast, HPV-6/11 is a major cause of condyloma acuminatum. Here, we report the case of a healthy 31-year-old man who presented to our clinic with a 1-month history of a 1-cm, reddish-brown, cystic scrotal tumor with a punctum. The lesion was studied histologically, immunohistochemically and by DNA-DNAin situ hybridization. Histology revealed an epidermoid cyst with vacuolated keratinocytes with shrunken nuclei (koilocytes) in the cyst wall. Immunostaining was positive for HPV antigens and in situ hybridization revealed HPV-6/11 DNA in the koilocytes. This is the first report of an HPV-6/11-associated epidermoid cyst in the anogenital skin of an immunocompetent individual.

Verrucous pilar cysts infected with beta human papillomavirus

“…Other HPV types reported to infect cysts include HPV‐57 and HPV‐59 . HPV‐6 and HPV‐11, which typically infect genital and mucosal surfaces, were detected in one scrotal epidermoid cyst . In general, cysts have not been found to contain high‐risk HPV types, although squamous cell carcinoma arising from an HPV‐16‐infected cyst has been reported .…”

“…[12][13][14] HPV-6 and HPV-11, which typically infect genital and mucosal surfaces, were detected in one scrotal epidermoid cyst. 15 In general, cysts have not been found to contain high-risk HPV types, although squamous cell carcinoma arising from an HPV-16-infected cyst has been reported. 16 In many reports of verrucous epidermoid cysts, no specific HPV type was identified, particularly for lesions on non-plantar skin.…”

Palmoplantar epidermoid cysts: two cases and brief review of the literature

“…In addition, an association between HPV 6, 8, 11 and 60 with non-palmoplantar ECs has also been reported. (Table 1) In these sites, histological findings did not usually show the characteristic morphology as in palmoplantar locations [6,7].…”

Infrequent human papillomavirus‐associated findings in genital epidermal cysts: A preliminary study

“…Dear Editor, Human papillomavirus (HPV) is frequently detected in palmoplantar epidermal cysts (PEC) and suggested to contribute to the cyst formation. 1 Except for an anecdotal report of HPV-6/11-associated genital epidermal cyst (GEC), 2 there have been few studies regarding HPV with GEC.…”