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Seroprevalence of HSV-1/2 and correlation with aggravation of oral mucositis in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region submitted to antineoplastic treatment

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Abstract

Purpose

Oral mucositis (OM) is a frequent side effect resulting from antineoplastic treatment and is described as an acute alteration characterized by ulcerative lesions, with the presence of a persistent chronic inflammatory infiltrate, erythema, and pain.

Aims

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the presence of the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1/2) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region (SCC) and its influence on the aggravation of oral mucositis after radiotherapy or radio/chemotherapy treatment.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, 91 patients were evaluated with regard to their serological status for IgG before treatment (initial time interval—TI) and for IgM before treatment (T1) and on the 30th day after the first day of radiotherapy application/radiation therapy (final time interval—TF), using immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA), and the results were correlated with the intensity of OM.

Results

The seroprevalence for IgG was 97.8 %. IgM (TI) was positive in 18.7 % and IgM (TF) in 20.9 % of patients. All the patients developed some degree of oral mucositis; however, there was statistically significant correlation between positivity for IgM and degree of severity of OM, irrespective of the type of treatment to which the patient was submitted.

Conclusion

The reactivation of HSV-1/2 was shown to be relatively infrequent and there was no correlation between presence of the virus and aggravation of oral mucositis resulting from antineoplastic treatment.

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Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program in Dentistry at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Andreza Veruska Lira Correia & Catarina da Mota Vasconcelos Brasil

  2. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, CCB, Virology Sector of the Keizo Asami Immunopathology Laboratory, The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Maria Rosângela Cunha Duarte Coêlho

  3. Post-Graduate Program in Tropical Medicine, Virology Sector of the Keizo Asami Immunopathology Laboratory, The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Georgea Gertrudes de Oliveira Mendes Cahú & Jéfferson Luis de Almeida Silva

  4. Post-Graduation Program in Dentistry at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Jurema Freire Lisboa de Castro

  5. Rua Jacobina, 45 Apt. 505 Graças, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, CEP: 52011-180

    Andreza Veruska Lira Correia

  6. Rua Manuel Lubambo, 118-Afogados, Recife, Brazil

    Maria Rosângela Cunha Duarte Coêlho

  7. Avenida General Manoel Rabelo, 3120, Socorro, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, PE, Brazil

    Georgea Gertrudes de Oliveira Mendes Cahú

  8. RUA GUANABARA 394D – TEJIPIÓ, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Jéfferson Luis de Almeida Silva

  9. Lot. Porto Coqueiral, Lote 05, Caixa Postal 247, Porto de Galinhas, Ipojuca, PE, Brazil, CEP: 55590-000

    Catarina da Mota Vasconcelos Brasil

  10. Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Bernardo Vieira de Melo, 2946/501, Piedade, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, PE, Brazil, CEP: 54410-010

    Jurema Freire Lisboa de Castro

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  1. Andreza Veruska Lira Correia
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  2. Maria Rosângela Cunha Duarte Coêlho
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  4. Jéfferson Luis de Almeida Silva
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  5. Catarina da Mota Vasconcelos Brasil
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  6. Jurema Freire Lisboa de Castro
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Correspondence to Andreza Veruska Lira Correia.

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Correia, A.V.L., Coêlho, M.R.C.D., de Oliveira Mendes Cahú, G.G. et al. Seroprevalence of HSV-1/2 and correlation with aggravation of oral mucositis in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region submitted to antineoplastic treatment. Support Care Cancer 23, 2105–2111 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2558-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2558-8

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