A recent study conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Medical Center had found that there is a relevant association between the use of tobacco and the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), a virus commonly seen with sexually transmitted diseases.
Researchers found that infection with the human papillomavirus was prevalent among people who had been using, or otherwise exposed, to tobacco irrelevant under sexual behavior. This HPV16 virus is most commonly seen in sexually transmitted diseases that art transferred from one person to another through oral sex. It has, however, also been found in almost 80% of cancers that are generally located at the back of the throat. In fact, over the past 20 years, the cases of throat and mouth cancers in the United States have risen by over 200%.
Study author, Gypsyamber D'souza, said that, "The practice of oral sex is common, but this cancer is rare. So there must be cofactors in the process that explain why some people develop persistent HPV16 infections and HPV positive oropharyngeal cancers when most other people don't."
During the study, the researchers examined over 6,800 subjects who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination. 28.6% of these subjects were tobacco users while 1% were already infected with HPV16. All the participants were then screened for biomarkers that were already established for tobacco exposure as well as for oral HPV 16 infection. Blood and urine testing were also conducted.
The data showed that there is a significant association between oral sexual behavior and the extent of tobacco exposure for those subjects with prevalent signs of oral HPV 16 infection. It was also more significant in subjects who were currently using tobacco as opposed to those who had never used tobacco before.