Human Papillomavirus Infection In Patients Research Articles

Clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine combined with Western medicine in the treatment of persistent human papillomavirus infection in patients with infertility

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of Fuzheng Jiedu formula combined with interferon in the treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in patients with infertility. Methods: A total of 750 infertile patients with persistent HPV infection were randomly divided into Group A (n=240, interferon), Group B (n=260, Fuzheng Jiedu formula), and Group C (n=250, interferon + Fuzheng Jiedu formula). The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms, efficacy, immune function, and HPV conversion were compared among the three groups, and statistical analysis was conducted on the data before and after treatment among the three groups, including TCM symptom score, total efficacy, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ levels, and HPV-DNA conversion rate. Results: The total efficacies of Group A, Group B, and Group C were 89.58%, 62.50%, and 98.00%, respectively; the conversion rates of HPV-DNA in Group A, Group B, and Group C were 62.50%, 67.31%, and 90.00%, respectively. The TCM symptom score of the three groups was most significantly reduced in Group C, followed by Group B, and there was a statistical difference between the groups (P<0.05). The efficacy of the three groups was highest in Group C, followed by Group A, and Group B, with statistical differences (P<0.05). Pairwise comparison of the HPV conversion rates of the three groups showed that Group C had the highest HPV conversion rate (P<0.05); HPV16 and HPV18 subtypes displayed high conversion rates among the different HPV subtypes (P<0.05), whereas the comparisons between the remaining subtypes showed no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). CD3+, CD4 +, and CD4+/CD8+ levels showed an increasing trend in the three groups after treatment, whereas the CD8+ level decreased (P<0.05). Pairwise comparison showed that CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ levels were more elevated in Group C than those in Groups A and B (P<0.05). Conclusion: Fuzheng Jiedu formula notably improves the efficacy of HPV persistent infection and HPV conversion rate in patients with infertility, and its efficacy is better than that of TCM and Western medicine alone. The mechanism is mainly related to the fact that TCM improves the symptom score of syndromes of spleen asthenia and dampness encumbrance and increases CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ levels. The effect of combined therapy on improving immunity is more advantageous than that of TCM or Western medicine alone.

Human Papillomavirus Infection of the Oropharyngeal and Laryngeal Squamous Papilloma: Disparities in Prevalence and Characteristics.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has emerged as an etiologic factor of squamous papilloma (SP). The oropharynx and larynx are common sites of SP, but studies on the prevalence of HPV infection in these sites are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the prevalence and characteristics of HPV infection in oropharyngeal SP (OPSP) and laryngeal SP (LSP). HPV detection and genotyping data of patients with pathologically confirmed OPSP and LSP were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 119 patients were enrolled, consisting of 93 patients with OPSP and 26 patients with LSP. Of those patients, 13 patients with OPSP and 14 patients with LSP were positive for HPV infection, accounting for a prevalence of 14.0% and 53.8%, respectively (p < 0.001). The most prevalent genotype was HPV16 in OPSP and HPV6 in LSP. Over two-thirds (69.2%) of HPV(+)-OPSP infections were high-risk types compared with 14.3% of HPV(+)-LSP infections (p = 0.004). The prevalence of HPV infection in patients with OPSP and LSP demonstrated no differences in terms of age, sex, and smoking status. These results could provide a better understanding of HPV infection in OPSP and LSP and serve as a background for the epidemiology of HPV-related tumorigenesis of the oropharynx and larynx.

Investigation of the relationship between the changes in vaginal microecological enzymes and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the altered vaginal microecological environment of patients. Initially, HPV genotyping and microecological detection were performed in 1281 subjects in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao (Qinhuangdao, China). The relationship between the enzymes of vaginal microecology, that is, proline aminopeptidase and acetylglucosaminidase, and vaginal inflammatory diseases, as well as the prognosis of HPV infection, was analyzed. The experimental findings indicated a close relationship between the expression of positive prolyl aminopeptidase and trichomonas vaginitis, as well as bacterial vaginitis. In addition, the expression of acetylglucosaminidase is closely associated with trichomonas vaginitis and vulvovaginal candidiasis. Furthermore, the observations indicated that positive prolyl aminopeptidase and acetylglucosaminidase could increase the risk of various subtypes of HPV infection in patients. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis presented that the expression of prolyl aminopeptidase and acetylglucosaminidase could offer exceptional diagnostic efficacy, indicating their association with persistent HPV infection. In summary, our results highlighted that the expression of positive prolyl aminopeptidase and acetylglucosaminidase in the vaginal microecology could be substantially correlated to the occurrence and the development of vaginal inflammatory diseases, as well as the outcome and the risk of persistent HPV infection.

Evaluation of HPV infection and presence of licensed HPV vaccine genotypes among genital warts in Foshan, China.

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and presence of licensed HPV vaccine genotypes among patients with genital warts in Foshan, China from 2015 to 2022, to provide useful references for the detection, prevention and control of genital warts in Foshan. The present study retrospectively analyzed the HPV detection rates in patients with genital warts. A total of 1,625 patients were seen at the Second People's Hospital of Foshan, Guangdong Province, China, from 2015 to 2022. Samples were collected from various lesions and genotyped for 21 genotypes of HPV by infusion hybridization. The classification principle of HPV genotypes in this study: (1) Based on the relationship between HPV and carcinogenicity; (2) Based on the number of HPV genotypes infected; (3) Based on the HPV genotypes of licensed HPV vaccines. The detection rate of any HPV in patients with genital warts was 80.37% (1,306/1,625). The detection rates of HPV for low-risk infection, co-infection and high-risk infection were 49.48% (804/1,625), 24.92% (405/1,625) and 5.97% (97/1,625), respectively. Single infection was the predominant type (51.94%, 844/1625). HPV-6 and HPV-11 were the predominant types of single infection; HPV-6 and HPV-52 were the predominant types of paired combinations of multiple infection. 82.22% (1,336/1,625) of the cases had an age distribution of ≤ 24, 25-34, and 35-44. The distribution of some HPV genotypes had age specificity, annual specificity and gender specificity. The genotype detection rates of 2v, 4v and 9v showed a decreasing trend with ages (all P < 0.05). The genotype detection rates of 4v and 9v showed a decreasing trend over the 8-year period (both P < 0.05). The genotype detection rates of 4v and 9v in the male group were higher than those in the female group (both P < 0.05). The genotype detection rate of 9v was significantly higher than that of 2v and 4v in the female group (both P < 0.05). Our study demonstrated that low-risk infection and single infection were the main types of HPV infection in patients with genital warts, mainly among young patients. Our study provides epidemiological data for the detection, prevention and control of genital warts in China.

Analysis of the correlation between cervical HPV infection, cervical lesions and vaginal microecology.

Vaginal microbiota is involved in human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer (CC) progression, and the specific changes in vaginal microbial composition during this process remains uncertain. This study aimed to observe the changes in the specific composition of vaginal microorganisms in different cervical lesions and identify biomarkers at different stages of lesions. In this study we used the illumina high-throughput gene sequencing technology to determine the V4 region of 16SrRNA and observed the vaginal microbial composition in different cervical lesions. The vaginal microbiota of patients with high-risk HPV infection and cervical lesions is significantly different from that of the normal population, but there is no significant difference in the richness of vaginal microbes. The diversity of vaginal species in CC patients is higher than that in high-risk HPV infection or CIN patients. The main manifestation is an increase in the diversity of vaginal microbes, a decrease in the relative abundance of cyanobacteria and Lactobacillus, and an increase in the relative abundance of dialister, peptonephila and other miscellaneous bacteria. There are characteristic vaginal biomarker in normal women, high risk HPV patients and CC patients. In detail, the biomarker in the normal group was varibaculum, the biomarker in the high-risk HPV group was saccharopolyspora, the biomarker of the CC group was the Proteobacteria, Corynebacterium, Coprococcus, Peptococcus and Ruminococcus. The study indicated that the compositions of vaginal microbes in different cervical lesions is different. The vaginal microbial composition has a certain diagnostic effect on healthy women, patients with high-risk HPV infection and cervical lesions. These microbes may serve as potential biomarkers for CC. It also provided an effective way for the treatment of HPV infections and cervical lesions.

Male Human Papillomavirus Infection and Genotyping in Turkey.

High-risk (HR) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) has been shown to play an important role in men in various locations in Turkey. This study aims to screen the male persistent infection with the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype status in Turkey to provide a reference basis for formulating prevention strategies for the development of genitourinary tract neoplasia. The HPV QUANT-21 Quantitative RT-PCR Kit® was used to identify and quantify low-risk HPV (HPV 6, 11, 44) and high-risk (HPV 16, 18, 26, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, 73, 82) from male individuals in Turkey. Of the total 1304 samples, 473 were positive for at least one HPV genotype, with an overall frequency of 36.2%. Two-hundred fifty-four patients were positive only for one or more LR HPV genotypes (54%), and 219 patients were positive for one or more HR HPV genotypes (46%). The LR HPV genotype frequency was 53.7%, while the HR HPV genotype frequency was 46.3%. Our technology had the positive advantage of being able to calculate concentrations for each genotype. Genotype 51 was second in frequency but had the highest average concentration of 5.38 log (copies/sample). The presence and genotype of the virus before HPV vaccination are also of increasing importance. The data obtained will serve as a guide for prevention strategies, especially vaccination. Based on our findings there is a need of new estimates of the efficacy of currently available HPV vaccines and to develop a screening program to prevent and reduce the incidence of genitourinary tract neoplasias in Turkey. Further studies are planned to measure and define the high levels of infection that may lead to the development of cervical tumors. Using this technique, it may be possible to make clinical decisions about the extent of cytological alterations.

Awareness of human papillomavirus infection among Indigenous males in North America and Oceania: a Scoping Review.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most commonly transmitted sexually transmitted infection. HPV infections have been on the rise among males, especially in the form of oropharyngeal cancer. Despite this, there is a gap in healthcare guidelines to increase HPV vaccine administration among males. In this study, we focus on the Indigenous population of North America and Oceania to determine existing barriers resulting in low HPV vaccination rates among the population. We surveyed peer-reviewed literature on the awareness of HPV infection among Indigenous males in North America and Oceania. Using keywords HPV plus male, men or boy, and ethnical filters such as Indigenous, Aboriginal or First Nations, we retrieved 54 articles based on titles, of which 15 were included after reading the abstracts. Reported HPV awareness was generally low in Indigenous males in North America, with no peer-reviewed data from Oceania. The lower understanding by males compared to females was largely attributable to misconceptions about HPV-related diseases, their transmission, and prevention. Lack of awareness and concern toward the risk of contracting HPV infection in Indigenous males suggests an impediment in disseminating health information about this cancer-causing virus. Culturally sensitive education, with emphasis on Indigenous males, is needed to improve this group's HPV knowledge. Researchers should also engage meaningfully with Indigenous communities by building rapport to achieve a positive change in attitude.

Clinical and epidemiological features of high-risk human papillomavirus infection in patients with cervical intraepithelial lesions

ObjectiveIn this study, we analyzed the clinical and epidemiological features of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection in patients with cervical intraepithelial lesions.MethodsRetrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 240 cases of histologically confirmed cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions to determine any correlation between HPV infection characteristics, age distribution, and cervical epithelial lesions.ResultsPatients between the ages of 31 and 40 with cervical intraepithelial lesions were more likely to have high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL; 40.7%) than low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL; 31.3%) (P < 0.05). In patients with HSIL, HR-HPV16, HR-HPV33, and HR-HPV52 were the most common types of HPV infection, while in patients with LSIL, HR-HPV16, HR-HPV52, and HR-HPV58 were the most common types of HPV infection. The highest percentage of single infections occurred in the HSIL group (69.6%), followed by the LSIL group (68.8%). HSIL was present in a significant number of patients (28.6%) aged 30 years and above who tested positive for 12 HPV types but negative for TCT.ConclusionThe prevalence of HSIL is greatest in younger patients. Patients with cervical epithelial lesions typically have a single infection of a high-risk HPV genotype—HR-HPV16, HR-HPV33, HR-HPV52, or HR-HPV58. Patients aged 30 years and above who test positive for one of 12 types of HPV but negative for TCT are at increased risk for developing HSIL. In order to detect cervical lesions early and begin treatment without delay, colposcopy should be performed regardless of whether or not a high-risk HPV infection is present.

A Novel Deep Learning Algorithm for Human Papillomavirus Infection Prediction in Head and Neck Cancers Using Routine Histology Images

The etiology of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) involves multiple carcinogens, such as alcohol, tobacco, and infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). Because HPV infection influences the prognosis, treatment, and survival of patients with HNSCC, it is important to determine the HPV status of these tumors. In this article, we propose a novel deep learning pipeline for HPV infection status prediction with state-of-the-art performance in HPV detection using only whole-slide images of routine hematoxylin and eosin–stained HNSCC sections. We show that our Digital-HPV score generated from hematoxylin and eosin slides produces statistically significant patient stratifications in terms of overall and disease-specific survival. In addition, quantitative profiling of the spatial tumor microenvironment and analysis of the immune profiles show relatively high levels of lymphocytic infiltration in tumor and tumor-associated stroma. High levels of B cells and T cells and low macrophage levels were also identified in HPV-positive patients compared to HPV-negative patients, confirming different immune response patterns elicited by HPV infection in patients with HNSCC.

High-risk human papillomavirus prevalence among patients with cervical cancer at Moewardi General Hospital in Surakarta, Indonesia

Link of Video Abstract: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryf_-hvseVc Introduction: In Indonesia, cervical cancer is the second most prevalent type of cancer among the general population. Cervical cancer has the second-highest mortality rate of all cancers. Infection with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is one of the causes that starts the growing phase of cervical cancer. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to determine the prevalence of HPV infection in patients with cervical cancer who were examined at Dr. Moewardi Hospital and lived in the ex-Surakarta Residency. Methods: Cervical tissue biopsy at the Anatomical Pathology Installation of Dr. Moewardi General Hospital Surakarta which had been diagnosed as cervical cancer was examined by the detection of E6 protein from HPV 16 and HPV 18 using immunohistochemical staining techniques. The data obtained would be analyzed based on the characteristics of the patient's age and the degree of histopathological malignancy with a p-value &lt; 0.05 deemed significant. Results: Overall, the prevalence of high-risk HPV infection was 77.8% (35/45), with women aged between 41-55 years having the highest prevalence of HPV infection (45.7, 16/35), followed by women aged 56-70 (42.9%), women over 70 (8.6%) and women under 40 (2.9%). The results of statistical tests showed that no significant relationship was found between HPV infection and age (p = 0.428). High-risk HPV infection was most prevalent in the poorly differentiated group (54.3%), followed by the well-differentiated group (34.3%) and the moderately differentiated group (11.4%). The results of statistical tests revealed a significant association between HPV infection and tumor grade (p = 0.027). Conclusion: To lower patient morbidity and mortality, it is crucial to receive a prophylactic HPV vaccine due to the incidence of HPV 16 and 18 infections in patients with cervical cancer at the Regional Hospital Dr. Moewardi Surakarta, with a prevalence of 77.8%.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Human Papillomavirus Infection in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Papilloma.

Studies on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in oropharyngeal squamous papilloma (OPSP) are lacking, although HPV infection has been recognized as the primary cause of oropharyngeal cancer for several decades. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of HPV infections in patients with OPSP. We retrospectively enrolled patients with histologically confirmed OPSP in whom the presence of HPV infections and p16 expression were evaluated. The results of HPV infection in OPSP were analyzed according to the clinicodemographic profiles. Of the 83 patients included in this study, HPV test results were positive in 12 patients, with an overall prevalence of 14.5%. HPV genotypes involved low-risk and high-risk HPV types in three (3.6%) and nine (10.8%) patients, respectively. The most prevalent genotype was HPV16, accounting for 58.3% of all HPV infections. None of the OPSPs showed p16 IHC positivity. There were trends toward a higher prevalence of high-risk HPV infection in patients with OPSP aged ≤45 years, never-smokers, and those with multifocal diseases. These findings could enhance our understanding of HPV infection in OPSP and be used as valuable epidemiological data for the management of HPV-associated OPSP and regarding the possible efficacy of HPV vaccinations in OPSP.

MECHANISMS OF EVACUATION OF THE HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS FROM THE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN HIV-INFECTED PEOPLE

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and related diseases are a major problem worldwide. The immune response to human papillomavirus infection in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) deserves special attention. HPV serves as an etiological agent and biological carcinogen for lesions and cancers associated with HPV. Currently, many possible mechanisms of escape of viruses from factors of innate and adaptive immunity are known. Despite the large amount of accumulated knowledge about the course of HIV and papillomavirus infections, early diagnosis and timely treatment of co-infected patients are difficult, which adversely affects their life prognosis. There is still a need to expand early methods for diagnosing papillomavirus infection in HIV-infected individuals and finding effective treatments.

Microbial infections as potential risk factors for lung cancer: Investigating the role of human papillomavirus and chlamydia pneumoniae.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. Apart from tobacco smoke and dietary factors, microbial infections have been reported as the third leading cause of cancers globally. Deciphering the association between microbiome and lung cancer will provide potential biomarkers and novel insight in lung cancer progression. In this current study, we performed a meta-analysis to decipher the possible association between C. pneumoniae and human papillomavirus (HPV) and the risk of lung cancer. Literature search was conducted in most English and Chinese databases. Data were analyzed using CMA v.3.0 and RevMan v.5.3 software (Cochrane-Mantel-Haenszel method) by random-effects (DerSimonian and Laird) model. The overall pooled estimates for HPV studies revealed that HPV infections in patients with lung cancer were significantly higher than those in the control group (OR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.57-3.37, p < 0.001). Base on subgroup analysis, HPV infection rate was significantly higher in Asians (OR = 6.38, 95% CI = 2.33-17.46, p < 0.001), in tissues (OR = 5.04, 95% CI = 2.27-11.19, p < 0.001) and blood samples (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.02-1.93, p = 0.04) of lung cancer patients but non-significantly lower in males (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.57-1.22, p =0.35) and among lung cancer patients at clinical stage I-II (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.61-1.49, p = 0.82). The overall pooled estimates from C. pneumoniae studies revealed that C. pneumoniae infection is a risk factor among lung cancer patients who are IgA seropositive (OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.30-2.70, p < 0.001) and IgG seropositive (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.10-2.04, p = 0.010). All seronegative IgA (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.42-1.16, p = 0.16) and IgG (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.42-105, p = 0.08) titers are not associative risk factors to lung cancer. Immunoglobulin (IgA) and IgG seropositive titers of C. pneumoniae and lungs infected with HPV types 16 and 18 are potential risk factors associated with lung cancer.

Prevalent distribution and survival outcome of HPV infection in patients with early-stage cervical cancer in Hangzhou, China

ObjectivesTo describe the prevalent distribution of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in patients with early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). To provide data on high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection and other clinicopathological factors for their correlations with the survival of CSCC patients.MethodsA total of 1425 patients with FIGO stages IA to IIA CSCC who underwent radical surgery between September 2008 and December 2012 were enrolled in the study. The prevalent distribution of HPV infection with different patient characteristics and survivals were analyzed with or without propensity score matching (PSM).ResultsThe overall infection rate of HPV was 84.3%, including 13 carcinogenic HR-HPV genotypes and 8 low-risk HPV genotypes with infection rates of 82.6% and 5.8%, respectively. The distribution of HPV infection were proportional in patients with either different age groups or different FIGO stages. HPV16 was the dominant subtype with an infection rate of 65.1%, followed by the other top four subtypesHPV58 (8.7%), 18 (7.7%) and 52 (4.5%). χ2 analysis revealed that increased preoperative serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen levels and lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) were statistically associated with HPV status. However, regression analyses indicated that only deep stromal invasion, LVSI and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors on 5-year overall survival (OS), but not HR-HPV infection status even in the second exploratory analysis (P = 0.939) based on the PSM applied to reduce selection bias.ConclusionsThis study provided baseline data on the prevalence characteristics of HPV infections in patients with early-stage CSCC, and HR-HPV infection was not a prognosticator of 5-year OS, other than FIGO stage, LVSI and lymph node metastasis.

Follow-up study on ThinPrep cytology test-positive patients in tropical regions.

As shown in the statistics from the World Health Organization, it is estimated that approximately 75000 new cases of cervical cancer occur every year in China. In 2008, 33000 people died of cervical cancer in China. It is proven that most women are at risk of cervical cancer. The progression from human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to cervical cancer can be several years or decades, which offers a unique opportunity to prevent cancer. To observe the changes in ThinPrep cytology tests (TCT) and HPV infection in patients who were detected to be positive via TCT screening of cervical cancer and further explore the biopsy results. This paper performed a follow-up study on 206 cervical cancer screening-positive patients of 12231 total cases from our previous research. We conducted an observational study on the TCT results based on the interpretation of The Bethesda System. Over a 5-year period, 10 cases received consistent follow-up. The proportions of cases in which glandular epithelial lesions were detected increased over the follow-up period. The differences between the years were statistically significant (P < 0.01). Over the 5 years, the proportion of patients whose squamous epithelial lesions transformed into glandular epithelial lesions increased yearly. Annual positive rates of HPV infection were: year 1, 73% (24/33); year 2, 43% (6/14); year 3, 36% (9/25); year 4, 50% (9/18); and year 5, 25% (6/24). The positive detection rate after biopsy over a 9-year period was 29%. The follow-up study for 5 years to 9 years revealed a tendency to change from squamous epithelial lesions to glandular epithelial lesions and an improvement of the disease (which had not been reported previously). The HPV test indicated a high negative conversion ratio of the viral infection. However, the follow-up cases were not found to have persistent infection of high-risk HPV. Therefore, early intervention of cervical cancer screening is necessary. Low re-examination compliance, patient education, and preventive measures should be enhanced.

Prevalence of genital and oral human papillomavirus infection among psoriasis patients on biologic therapy.

Current knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in psoriasis patients treated with biologics is limited. In this study we evaluated the prevalence of oral and genital HPV infection in psoriasis patients treated with biologics or topical therapy for at least 6 months. The presence of HPV DNA in oral rinse and genital smears was evaluated. In total, 267 patients who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate were enrolled: 110 (41.2%) on topical therapy, 84 (31.5%) on anti-TNF-alpha therapy, 31 (11.6%) on anti-IL-12/23 therapy and 42 (15.7%) on anti-IL-17 therapy. The presence of genital HPV infection was detected in 34.6% of men receiving anti-TNF-α treatment, in 25.0% of patients on anti-IL-12/23 and 18.8% of patients on anti-IL-17 therapy. The difference in prevalence was not statistically different from men on topical treatment (26.3%). Prevalence of oral HPV infection was higher across all of the biologic groups (11.9% for anti-TNF-α, 12.9% for anti-IL-12/23 and 19.0% for anti-IL-17) compared to patients on topical therapy (7.3%), but statistically significant only for anti-IL-17 (p < 0.05). The presence of oral HPV infection in patients treated with biologics was significantly higher (44.0%) in patients on long-term biologic treatment (>8 years) compared to patients taking biologics for a shorter period (9.1%; p < 0.01). Our results suggest that patients on biologics for psoriasis have a higher prevalence of oral HPV infection compared to patients on topical treatment. Long-term treatment with biologics seems to be associated with a higher prevalence of oral HPV infection, independent of previous conventional immunosuppressive therapy.

Serum vitamin D levels in high-risk HPV infected patients, is there any relation?

Objective: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a sexually transmittable virus and is the main etiologic cause of uterine cervical cancers. Beyond that, vitamin D is a steroid structured lipid-soluble vitamin, enhancing both humoral and cellular immune responses. In our study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and high-risk HPV infections. Material and methods: A total of 143 patients who applied to the gynecology outpatient clinic between June 2020 and August 2020 were included in the study. Patients with high-risk HPV positivity constituted the study group, and HPV-negative patients constituted the control group. Serum vitamin D levels were compared between the groups. Results: The mean vitamin D level of all patients included in the study, HPV(+) and HPV(-) patients were 17.57±8.73, 17.54±9.20 and 17.63±7.83, respectively. In the study group 10.2% of the patients and in the control group 8.5% had adequate vitamin D levels. No significant differences in vitamin D levels and in terms of distribution according to categorical vitamin D level have been observed between the groups (p=0.774, p=0.989). Conclusion: Vitamin D levels were comparable between HPV positive and HPV negative groups, but study and controls both had very low sufficient vitamin D levels. In Turkey and especially in our region (Zonguldak), vitamin D deficiency is almost endemic, and this might be the main reason that both of the groups have very similar vitamin D measurements.

Integration of scRNA-Seq and TCGA RNA-Seq to Analyze the Heterogeneity of HPV+ and HPV- Cervical Cancer Immune Cells and Establish Molecular Risk Models.

BackgroundNumerous studies support that Human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cervical cancer. However, few studies have surveyed the heterogeneity of HPV infected or uninfected (HPV+ and HPV-) cervical cancer (CESC) patients. Integration of scRNA-seq and TCGA data to analyze the heterogeneity of HPV+ and HPV- cervical cancer patients on a single-cell level could improve understanding of the cellular mechanisms during HPV-induced cervical cancer.MethodsCESC scRNA-seq data obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the Seurat, Monocle3 package were used for scRNA-seq data analysis. The ESTIMATE package was used for single-sample gene immune score, CIBERSORT package was used to identify immune scores of cells, and the “WGCNA” package for the weighted correlation network analysis. Univariate Cox and LASSO regression were performed to establish survival and relapse signatures. KEGG and GO analyses were performed for the signature gene. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis was used for Pan-cancer analysis.ResultsIn the HPV+ CESC group, CD8+ T cells and B cells were down-regulated, whereas T reg cells, CD4+ T cells, and epithelial cells were up-regulated according to scRNA-seq data. Survival analysis of TCGA-CESC revealed that increased expression of naive B cells or CD8+ T cells favors the survival probability of CESC patients. WGCNA, univariate Cox, and LASSO Cox regression established a 9-genes survival signature and a 7-gene relapse model. Pan-cancer analysis identified IKZF3, FOXP3, and JAK3 had a similar distribution and effects in HPV-associated HNSC.ConclusionAnalysis of scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq of HPV+ and HPV- CESC samples revealed heterogeneity from transcriptional state to immune infiltration. Survival and relapse models were adjusted according to the heterogeneity of HPV+ and HPV- CESC immune cells to assess the prognostic risk accurately. Hub genes represent similar protection in HPV- associated HNSC while showing irrelevant to other potential HPV-related cancers.

Prevalence of anogenital infection by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in users of immunobiological therapy

Objective: To compare the prevalence of anogenital infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) in immunobiological users being treated for immune-mediated chronic inflammatory diseases with that in non-users. Methodology: The total sample studied consisted of 228 participants divided into 2 groups: 114 users and 114 non-users of immunobiological, cytotoxic or corticosteroid therapy, with non-psoriasis dermatoses and non-HPV predisposing conditions. Both groups were evaluated clinically and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The prevalence of low-risk HPV in the immunobiological user and non-user groups was 8/49 (16,3%) and 3/29 (10,3%), respectively (p=0.524). The low-risk types found were HPV 6, 11, 40, 42 and 44. The prevalence of high-risk HPV was 23/114 (20,2%) in the users versus 21/114 (18,4%) in the non-users (p=0.737), distributed according to the following types: HPV 16 (3/228 – 1,3%), 18 (5/228 – 2,2%), and non-16/18 (36/228 – 15,8%). After pairing by sex and age, the prevalence of high-risk HPV was 13/62 (21,0%) and 8/62 (12,9%) for immunobiological users and non-users, respectively (p=0.231). Conclusion: The prevalence of anogenital HPV infection in patients with immune-mediated chronic inflammatory diseases treated with immunobiologicals is similar to that in non-users.

The effect of vaginal probiotic therapy on the outcome of papillomavirus infection

Aim. To study the effect of vaginal probiotic therapy on the outcome of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.Materials and methods. The study included HPV-infected patients: 29 patients with normal vaginal flora and 146 patients with a deficiency of vaginal lactobacilli, of which 117 patients received vaginal probiotic therapy. In samples obtained before and after the therapy, the effect of the probiotic on the change in the ratio of living, apoptotic, and necrotic vaginal epithelial cells after preliminary exposure to oxidative stress was studied.Results. It was found that probiotics reduce the number of infected epithelial cells that survived the oxidative damage and shift the balance of cell death forms towards apoptosis. Vaginal probiotic therapy in patients with a deficiency of lactobacilli increased the frequency of HPV elimination by 2.5 times and reduced the likelihood of treatment failure from 1.5 to 4 times, depending on the viral load. The probiotic therapy made the structure of HPV outcomes in Lactobacillus-deficient patients similar to that in patients with normal vaginal flora.Conclusion. Vaginal probiotic therapy improves outcomes of HPV infection in patients with a deficiency of lactobacilli by reducing the number of survived infected cells and shifting the cell death pattern towards apoptosis.