|
HPV-16 Load Is Associated with High-grade
Lesions in Women with HIV
By
Megan Rauscher
High levels of human
papillomavirus 16 (HPV-16) DNA are associated with
high-grade cervical lesions in sexually active women at risk or infected with HIV,
Canadian researchers report in the May 20th issue of the journal
AIDS.
As part of a cohort study looking at the natural history
of HPV infection in HIV-seropositive (n = 58) and HIV-seronegative
(n = 17) women, researchers measured episomal and integrated HPV-16
DNA viral load using real-time polymerase chain reaction.
HPV-16
viral loads were significantly higher in women with high-grade squamous
intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
(CIN) 2 or 3 detected by either cytology or histology than in women
with normal cytology.
"Unfortunately,"
Dr. Francois Coutlée from the University of Montreal in Quebec told
Reuters Health, "there was an important overlap of HPV-16 DNA
load values between women with or without cervical lesions, which
may impede the use of HPV-16 loads in clinical settings."
The association between higher HPV-16 viral loads and
grade of precancerous disease was evident when total or integrated
HPV-16 viral loads were considered.
"No additional information was gained by measuring
integrated or episomal over total HPV-16 DNA loads," Dr. Coutlée
said. "However, we need to develop better tools to measure
integration, since viral polymorphism may have an impact on our
measurement of HPV-16 quantity in a sample."
Summing up, the researcher said this study demonstrates
that women with higher HPV-16 viral loads are at increased risk
of significant cervical lesions.
"Prospective studies involving a greater number
of HPV-16 infected women are needed to better define the predictive
value of integrated HPV-16 load versus total or episomal load for
progression of lesion," Dr. Coutlée added.
AIDS 2005;19:785-794.
Additional
Articles on Humanpapillomavirus (HPV)
HIV
Load and CD4+ Cell Count Affect HPV Detection in HIV-infected Women
- 4/20/05
Pre-cancerous
Anal Lesions in Heterosexual and Homosexual HIV Positive Men Receiving
or Not Receiving Anti-HIV Therapy 10/13/04
Smoking
During HIV Infection May Alter the Natural History of HPV Infection
and Increase the Risk of Cervical Disease 06/04/04
High Resolution
Anoscopy Findings for Men Who Have Sex with Men 05/07/04
Oral Humanpapillomavirus
(HPV) Infection Is Tied to Sexual Behavior and HIV Status
03/10/04
Human Papillomavirus
and HIV Coinfection and the Risk of Neoplasias of the Lower Genital
Tract: A Review of Recent Developments -
09/08/03
|
