Is the presence of Merkel cell polyomavirus and human papillomavirus DNA in keratinocyte cancers and precancers associated with HIV status? A case–control study.

This article focuses on a case–control study investigating the prevalence of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in keratinocyte cancers (KCs) and precancers among people living with HIV (PLWH) compared to HIV-negative individuals. The study analyzed 190 tissue samples from 104 individuals and found that MCV DNA was present in about 23% of samples, with no significant association between MCV presence and HIV status or specific KC lesion types. Additionally, HPV was co-detected in over one-third of MCV-positive samples, also without significant correlation to HIV status. The findings suggest that while MCV and HPV are common in KCs and precancers, their role in pathogenesis may be independent of HIV infection, and their presence might reflect normal skin microbiota rather than causality, highlighting the need for further research to clarify their potential pathogenic roles.