Determination of HPV prevalence in oral/oropharyngeal mucosa samples in a rural district of São Paulo.

Unlabelled: Knowledge about HPV infection in the oral cavity/oropharynx may contribute to the elucidation of the role it plays in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC).

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of the methodology used for sampling the oral cavity and oropharynx mucosae and to determine the prevalence of HPV in the oral cavity and oropharynx of adults and children.

Method: The study population was served by an assistance program in a rural district of São Paulo.