Detection of high-risk human papillomavirus infection in tonsillar specimens using 2 commercially available assays

The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection in tonsillar swabs and tissue Patients undergoing tonsillectomy for nonmalignant causes were enrolled. A flocked swab and fresh tissue were collected from the left and right tonsil of each patient. Specimens were tested for hrHPV DNA using the Roche cobas test and for the presence of E6/E7 messenger RNA using the Hologic Aptima hrHPV test. Of the 193 patients enrolled, 129 were in the pediatric group (ages 1–12 years; median, 5 years), and 64 were in the adult group (ages 13–55; median, 22 years). All swab and tissue specimens were negative for hrHPV by both methods. Positive, negative, and internal controls performed as expected. We found a 0% rate of infection indicating that detectable hrHPV infection in tonsillar tissue appears to be uncommon in the children and adults in the population sampled.