Presence of EBV and HHV-7 Genomic Sequences in Saliva and Virus-Specific Antibodies in Sera of Oral Lichen Planus and Aphthous Stomatitis Patients: A Comparative Observational Study

The presence of human herpesviruses is frequently detected in the oral cavity, yet their disease-specific role in chronic inflammatory oral mucosal disorders remains uncertain. This comparative observational study investigated Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7) genomic sequences in saliva and virus-specific antibodies in serum among patients with oral lichen planus (OLP; n = 35), aphthous stomatitis (AS; n = 31), and healthy controls (n = 34). Salivary viral loads were quantified using real-time PCR, while EBV and HHV-7-specific IgG and IgM antibodies were measured using ELISA-based assays. EBV and HHV-7 DNA in saliva were commonly detected across all groups, demonstrating high baseline shedding and marked interindividual variability. Although EBV IgG levels were higher in OLP compared with AS in univariate analysis, multivariate regression revealed that age, rather than disease status, was the primary determinant of EBV IgG levels. After adjustment for age, sex, and discomfort, neither EBV nor HHV-7 salivary loads showed independent associations with OLP or AS. HHV-7 salivary loads were uniformly distributed among groups. These findings suggest that salivary detection of EBV and HHV-7 reflects widespread latent infection rather than disease-specific activity in OLP or AS. Longitudinal and tissue-based studies integrating immunological profiling are warranted to clarify whether herpesvirus reactivation contributes to disease severity in defined patient subgroups.