The presence of HPV types 6/11, 16/18, 31/33/51 in Bowenoid papulosis demonstrated by DNA in situ hybridization

Abstract

Bowenoid papulosis (BP) is an unusual dermatosis with variable clinical presentation: multiple, generally small, round, papules, isolated or confluent, with smooth or papillomatous surface, sometimes with desquamation. The colour is variable from rose, reddish-purple to brown. These papules are localized mostly on the genital mucosa or perigenital skin of young adults. The aetiopathogenesis of the disorder is not well defined, but it may be linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. We report a case of BP with some particular aspects: (1) misdiagnosis of the disease for 2 years; (2) contemporaneous presence of different types of HPV.