Oral HPV detection and genotyping by next-generation sequencing in a healthy Palestinian cohort: pilot study

Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) is a key contributor to oropharyngeal cancers. Yet, its prevalence and genotype distribution in healthy populations remain largely undocumented, particularly in Palestine, where no national screening or vaccination programs currently exist. This study is the first in Palestine to detect and genotype oral HPV in a healthy population using a highly sensitive molecular workflow. The assay employs a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) strategy targeting the L1 gene, a highly conserved region that encodes the virus's main structural protein. Buccal swabs from 75 individuals attending dental clinics in the central region of the West Bank were analyzed, revealing an overall HPV positivity rate of 6.7% and identifying the genotypes HPV-18, HPV-31, and HPV-38. Recently, an HPV-38 sequence from a Palestinian woman with cervical cancer was published, which supports our finding of HPV-38 presence in Palestine. The results provide preliminary methodological data for Palestine and highlight the power of advanced sequencing technologies in enhancing global HPV surveillance. This pilot study demonstrates methodological feasibility but is not powered to provide a reliable epidemiological baseline.