Prevalence and stability of antibodies to thirteen polyomaviruses and association with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: A population-based study

Abstract Background Several new members of the human polyomavirus (HPyV) family that infect human skin and are potentially oncogenic have been identified in the last decade. Objectives To investigate prospectively the seroprevalence and stability of 13 PyVs, and possible associations with different risk factors and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Study design In this Australian population-based longitudinal study sera were collected at baseline in 1992 or during the next 4 years from 688 people. Of the 688, 226 developed a new cSCC between blood collection and the final follow up in 2003. The remaining 462 served as controls. Among the 462 controls, 161 had a second serum sample from 2003 analysed. Seroprevalence of 10 human PyVs (BKV, JCV, KIV, WUV, MCV, TSV, HPyV6, HPyV7, HPyV9 and HPyV10) and three non-human PyVs (SV40, LPV and ChPyV) was assessed using multiplex serology. Results There was no significant difference in PyV seroprevalence between people who developed cSCC during follow-up compared to those who did not. WUV and HPyV10 showed the highest serostability (93%) and JCV VP1 and SV40 VP1 the lowest (84%) over a 9-year time period (range 7–11 years). Conclusions We found no evidence that HPyV seroprevalence is associated with subsequent development of cSCC and observed variable stability of antibodies to polyomaviruses.