Oral Warts in Children: The Cause Is as Problematic as the Cure

Mucosal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is well-recognized in children as anogenital condyloma and symptomatic laryngeal papillomatosis. Oral condyloma have been reported infrequently. Pediatricians at a child-abuse clinic at Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Texas, document three cases of oral condyloma in children and reiterate several unanswered questions about evaluation and treatment.

The children, ages 3, 6 and 9, were referred for evaluation of sexual abuse because of the oral lesions. Condyloma were clinically suspected in two cases. The remainder of the physical exams were negative for evidence of abuse, as were results of serologic tests for syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV. DNA hybridization detected one or more "anogenital …