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The interaction between cervicovaginal virome, bacteriome and genital inflammation has not been extensively investigated. We assessed the vaginal DNA virome from 33 South African adolescents (15–19 years old) using shotgun DNA sequencing of purified virions. We present analyses of eukaryote-infecting DNA viruses, with a focus on human papillomavirus (HPV) genomes and relate these to the vaginal bacterial microbiota (assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing) and cytokines (assessed by Luminex). The DNA virome included single-stranded (Anelloviridae, Genomoviridae) and double-stranded DNA viruses (Adenoviridae, Alloherpesviridae, Herpesviridae, Marseilleviridae, Mimiviridae, Polyomaviridae, Poxviridae). We identified 110 unique, complete HPV genomes within two genera (Alphapapillomavirus and Gammapapillomavirus) representing 40 HPV types and 12 species. Of the 40 HPV types identified, 35 showed positive co-infection patterns with at least one other type, mainly HPV-16. HPV-35, a high-risk genotype currently not targeted by available vaccines, was the most prevalent HPV type identified in this cohort. Bacterial taxa commonly associated with bacterial vaginosis also correlated with the presence of HPV. Bacterial vaginosis, rather than HPV, was associated with increased genital inflammation. This study lays the foundation for future work characterizing the vaginal virome and its role in women’s health.

Aim: Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is a global health problem whose incidence varies by geographic region and race according to risk factors. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a significant risk factor for HNSCC. HPV-16 and HPV-18 are two forms of HPV that are carcinogenic. HNSCCs that are HPV positive have a better prognosis rather than HPV negative. The purpose of this research was to characterize HPV-16, -18 variations in the saliva of HNSCC patients by examining the genetic diversity of HPV-16, -18 utilizing the full E6, E7, and L1 genes. Methods: The case-control research included 15 patients with HNSCC and 15 healthy volunteers. Unstimulated entire saliva samples were obtained from the case and control groups by spitting method. Genomic DNA was isolated from all saliva samples. A PCR reaction was used to determine the presence of HPV in saliva. HPV-positive samples were genotyped and data were analyzed. We conducted a variant study on the HPV-16, -18 E6, and E7 genes. Results: Three patients with HNSCC were HPVpositive for two HPV genotypes out of 30 people diagnosed with HPV-DNA. HPV-16 and -18 were the most common genotypes. The HPV-16, -18 E6, and E7 genes were sequenced and compared to the HPV-16, -18 (E6, E7) prototype sequence. In all, HPV-16 lineages A1 and HPV-18 lineages A3 were discovered. Conclusion: Regarding the variation of HPV found in Iranian HNSCC patients, the need for further studies in HPV genotyping was seen. Sequencing HPV genes in HNSCC may help answer questions about HPV genotyping in the Iranian population. HPV genotype analysis aids in the development of vaccinations against HNSCC, halting disease progression and preventing HPV-associated HNSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the pattern of multiple human papillomavirus infection to predict the type replacement postvaccination. A total of 7372 women aged 18-45y from a phase III trial of an Escherichia coli -produced HPV-16/18 vaccine were analyzed at enrollment visit before vaccination. Hierarchical multilevel logistic regression was used to evaluate HPV vaccine type and nonvaccine-type interactions with age as a covariate. Binary logistic regression was construed to compare multiple infections with single infections to explore the impact of multiple-type infections on the risk of cervical disease. Multiple HPV infections were observed in 25.2% of HPV-positive women and multiple infections were higher than expected by chance. Statistically significant negative associations were observed between HPV16 and 52, HPV18 and HPV51/52/58, HPV31 and HPV39/51/52/53/54/58, HPV33 and HPV52/58, HPV58 and HPV52, HPV6 and HPV 39/51/52/53/54/56/58. Multiple HPV infections increased the risk of CIN2+ and HSIL+, with the ORs of 2.27(95%CI: 1.41, 3.64) and 2.26 (95%CI: 1.29, 3.95) for multiple oncogenic HPV infection separately. However, no significant evidence for the type-type interactions on risk of CIN2+ or HSIL+. There is possibility of type replacement between several pairs of vaccine and nonvaccine HPV type. Multiple HPV infection increased the risk of cervical disease, but coinfection HPV types seem to follow independent disease processes. Continued post-vaccination surveillance for HPV 51/52/58 types and HPV 39/51 types separately was essential after the first and second generation of HPV vaccination implementation in China.

ObjectivesDiagnosis with an HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer includes unique social issues. However, it is unknown how common these psychosocial issues are for patients and whether they continue after treatment.Materials and methodsPatients with pathologically confirmed HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC, n=48) were recruited from two medical centers. Participants completed a computer assisted self interview that explored their psychosocial experiences during and after treatment. We examined responses overall and by age.ResultsThe majority of participants with confirmed HPV-OPC, reported being told that HPV could have (90%) or did cause (77%) their malignancy, but only 52% believed that HPV was the main cause of their OPC. Participants over 65years were less likely than younger participants to report that their doctors told them their tumor was HPV-positive (50% vs 84%, p=0.03). Anxiety that their tumor was HPV-related was a major issue among participants when first diagnosed (93%). However, only 17% still reported anxiety after treatment was complete. While many patients reported that providers discussed the emotional effects of diagnosis and treatment adequately (58%), almost half reported discussing these emotional effects inadequately (24%), or not at all (18%). Further, 18% reported that their families still wondered about some questions that they had never asked.ConclusionAfter treatment, some HPV-OPC patients remain concerned about HPV and have unanswered questions about HPV. Older patients had lower awareness of the role of HPV in their cancer.

During persistent human papillomavirus infection, the viral genome replicates as an extrachromosomal plasmid that is efficiently partitioned to daughter cells during cell division. We have previously shown that an element which overlaps the human papillomavirus 18 (HPV18) transcriptional enhancer promotes stable DNA replication of replicons containing the viral replication origin. Here, we perform comprehensive analyses to elucidate the function of this maintenance element. We conclude that no unique element or binding site in this region is absolutely required for persistent replication and partitioning and instead propose that the overall chromatin architecture of this region is important to promote efficient use of the replication origin. These results have important implications for the genome partitioning mechanism of papillomaviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advances in laboratory techniques for HPV diagnosis necessitate a thorough assessment of the efficiency, replicability, sensitivity, and specificity of those methods. This study aims to validate and compare HPV detection/genotyping using the Anyplex™ II HPV28 Detection assay (Seegene) assay and the Linear Array HPV Genotyping test (Roche Diagnostics) on genital samples for use in epidemiological studies., Methods: From 6,388 penile and cervical DNA samples collected in the POP-Brazil, 1,745 were randomly selected to be included in this study. The samples were submitted to HPV detection and genotyping following the manufacturers' protocols. DNA was genotyped using the Anyplex™ II HPV28 Detection kit (Seegene), and the results were compared to those obtained using the Linear Array HPV Genotyping test (Roche Diagnostics). Concordance of HPV genotyping results was assessed by the percentage agreement and Cohen's kappa score (κ)., Results: The agreement between the two methodologies was deemed good for HPV detection (κ = 0.78). Notably, Anyplex™ II HPV28 demonstrated enhanced capability in detecting a broader spectrum of genotypes compared to Linear Array., Conclusion: Anyplex™ II HPV28 exhibited comparable results to the Linear Array assay in clinical specimens, showcasing its potential suitability for a diverse array of research applications requiring the detection and genotyping of HPV. The study supports the utility of Anyplex™ II HPV28 as an effective tool for HPV screening in epidemiological studies, emphasizing its robust performance in comparison to established diagnostic tests., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Bandeira et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is recognized as the main cause for the development of anogenital cancers. This study prospectively evaluated the diagnostic performance of the novel Allplex-HPV28 assay with the Anyplex-II-HPV28 to detect and genotype HPV in 234 consecutive swabs and 32 biopsies of the anogenital tract from 265 patients with atypical findings in cytomorphological screening. Agreement in HPV-DNA detection between the Anyplex-II and Allplex-HPV28 assays was 99%. There was a notable diversity in the HPV-virome, with the most prevalent high-risk HPV types being 16, 53, 66, and 68. The agreement rates for detecting these genotypes exceeded 93% between the Anyplex-II and Allplex-HPV28 assays. Discrepancies in test results were solely noted for Anyplex-II-HPV28 results with a low signal intensity of "+", and for Allplex-HPV28 results with cycle thresholds of ≥36. The semi-quantitative analysis of HPV-DNA loads showed significant agreement between the Anyplex-II-HPV28 and Allplex-HPV28 assays (p < 0.001). Furthermore, HPV-DNA detection rates and mean HPV-DNA loads significantly correlated with the grade of abnormal changes identified in cytopathological assessment, being highest in cases of HSIL, condyloma accuminatum, and squamous cell carcinoma. Overall agreement rates for detecting specific HPV-types among the Anyplex-II and Allplex-HPV28 assays exceeded 99.5% in cases of atypical squamous cells, condyloma accuminatum, and squamous cell carcinoma. The novel Allplex-HPV28 assay shows good diagnostic performance in detecting and genotyping HPV commonly associated with anogenital cancers. Consequently, this assay could offer substantial potential for incorporation into future molecular screening programs for anogenital cancers in clinical settings., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Medical Virology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are etiologically associated with various benign and malignant neoplasms of cutaneous and mucosal epithelia. We describe an improved diagnostic protocol for comprehensive characterization of causative HPV types in common warts, in which broad-spectrum PCRs followed by Sanger sequencing, two previously described and seven newly developed type-specific quantitative real-time PCRs (qPCRs) coupled with the human beta-globin qPCR were used for: (i) diagnosis of HPV infection in warts; (ii) estimation of cellular viral loads of all HPV types detected; and (iii) determination of their etiological role in 128 histologically confirmed fresh-frozen common wart tissue samples. A total of 12 different causative HPV types were determined in 122/126 (96.8%) HPV-positive warts, with HPV27 being most prevalent (27.0%), followed by HPV57 (26.2%), HPV4 (15.1%), HPV2 (13.5%), and HPV65 (7.9%). The cellular viral loads of HPV4 and HPV65 were estimated for the first time in common warts and were significantly higher than the viral loads of HPV2, HPV27, and HPV57. In addition, we showed for the first time that HPV65 is etiologically associated with the development of common warts in significantly older patients than HPV27 and HPV57, whereas HPV4-induced warts were significantly smaller than warts caused by HPV2, HPV27, HPV57, and HPV65.

Previous research has shown that women's use of a carrageenan gel reduces the risk of acquiring genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infections but does not help to clear existing ones. Although gel use may not result in complete clearance, it may decrease the viral load of HPV infections. We tested this hypothesis in the Carrageenan-gel Against Transmission of Cervical Human papillomavirus (CATCH) randomized controlled trial. Participants of the CATCH study were selected for viral load testing if they had completed the first four study visits and tested positive for HPV42 or HPV51 in at least one of these visits. HPV42 and HPV51 were chosen as they were among the most abundant low- and high-risk types, respectively, in the study sample. We measured viral load with a type-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results were displayed using summary statistics. Of 461 enrolled participants, 39 were included in the HPV42 analysis set and 56 in the HPV51 analysis set. The median time between visits 1 and 4 was 3.7 months. The viral load (copies/cell) of HPV42 ranged from <0.001 to 13 434.1, and that of HPV51 from <0.001 to 967.1. The net median change in HPV42 viral load over all four visits was -1.04 copies/cell in the carrageenan and -147 copies/cell in the placebo arm (Wilcoxon rank sum test, p = 0.26). There was no net median change in HPV51 viral load over all four visits in either arm (p = 0.45). The use of a carrageenan-based gel is unlikely to reduce the viral load of HPVs 42 or 51., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Medical Virology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) and cervical cancer are primary due to suboptimal immune response against human papillomavirus (HPV). The FASL/FAS system is a trigger of extrinsic pathway apoptosis. The distribution of polymorphisms rs1800682 (−670 A > G) FAS and rs763110 (−844C > T) FASL was studied in cervical smears from 372 females (182 with stable or regressed low-grade SIL (LSIL) (groupI) and a group of 190 high-grade SIL (HSIL) (groupII). No significant differences were observed for rs1800682 in FAS between the study groups. In contrast, rs763110 CC genotype of FASL was found in 35.7% of group I females, and in 50.5% of group II (p = 0.0027; OR = 1.83 (95% CI = 1.21–2.79)). When only females infected with high-risk HPV were analysed, these differences were even higher (p = 0.0024; OR = 2.21 (95% CI = 1.30–3.75)). CC genotype in FASL seems to be associated with increased risk of LSIL to HSIL progression suggesting a role in HPV tolerance, persistent infection, and HSIL development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and related cancers are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Routine vaccination against HPV is recommended for patients starting at age 9–12 years. Discussing this vaccine with parents of young children can be challenging for clinicians. Barriers include parental beliefs, strength and quality of clinician recommendations, physician knowledge of HPV disease and vaccines, and provider comfort levels with discussing sexuality. Methods Our interactive workshop began with a predidactic role-play session addressing common concerns about the HPV vaccine where participants took turns playing a concerned parent or provider. We then gave a 30-minute didactic lecture and conducted a postdidactic role-play session to practice communication skills in promoting the HPV vaccine. All participants completed pre- and postintervention knowledge and skill self-assessments. Results Twenty-eight pediatric residents and medical students participated. We observed significant improvement in their ability to appropriately recommend the HPV vaccine in the postdidactic role-play (all ps < .02). Learner knowledge improved from pre- to postintervention (from 34% to 100%, p < .0025, based on average score), as did self-perceived comfort and confidence levels (from 3.6 to 4.3, p < .0001, average score based on a 5-point Likert scale). Discussion An interactive workshop utilizing role-play supplemented by a didactic lecture was effective in improving participants’ knowledge, communication skills, comfort levels, and confidence levels regarding HPV disease and vaccines. The workshop offers a practical and interpersonal approach to improving learners’ skills in discussing the HPV vaccine with parents.

BackgroundBecause many human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are transient, rates of transmission may be miscalculated if the interval between testing spans several months. We examined rates of concordance and transmission in heterosexual couples over short intervals.Methods Twenty-five adult couples were enrolled and sampled for HPV DNA from the genitals, hand, and mouth 5 times over a 6-week period, including 24 hours after sexual intercourse and after 48 hours of abstinence. Concordance and transmission patterns were described.ResultsConcordance between the couple's genital sites ranged from 64% to 95% for at least 1 HPV type. The highest rates of concordance were observed 24 hours after sexual intercourse. A similar peak in concordance was not seen between genital and nongenital anatomic sites. Transmission rates for female genital to male genital ranged from 26.8 to 187.5 per 100 person-months and for male genital to female genital from 14.5 to 100 per 100 person-months.ConclusionsHigh rates of concordance shortly after intercourse suggest that some DNA detections in the genital area are contaminants from a partner and not established HPV infections. Female-to-male transmission appeared more common than male-to-female transmission.

Background: Cervical cancer is primarily caused by HPV infection. The epidemiology of HPV infection in specific areas is of great meaning of guide cervical cancer screening and formulating HPV vaccination strategies. Here, we evaluated the epidemiological characteristics of HPV infection in Xiamen population., Methods: In total, 159,049 cervical exfoliated cell samples collected from female outpatients in Women and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen between January 2013 and July 2023 were analyzed. HPV DNA detection was performed using HPV genotyping kits (Hybribio Limited Corp, China). An analysis was conducted on the prevalence of HPV infection, taking into account factors such as age, year, and multiple patterns of HPV infection. The differences in prevalence among age groups and years were compared using χ 2 test., Results: The overall prevalence of any 21 HPV genotypes was 18.4%, of which the high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) positive rate was 14.6%. The age-specific prevalence of HPV infection showed a bimodal distribution, with two distinct peaks, one at <25 years (31.2%) and the other at 60-64 years (32.9%). There was a downward trend in the prevalence of HPV infection over time, decreasing from 26.2% in 2013 to 14.5% in 2021, and then increasing to 19.0% in 2023. The five most prevent HR-HPV genotypes were HPV52 (4.0%), 58 (2.6%), 16 (2.5%), 51 (1.8%), and 39 (1.7%). Among the positive cases, 76.7% were detected with only one genotype and 23.3% with multiple genotypes. The most common co-infection was HPV52 + HPV58 (0.24%), followed by HPV16 + HPV52 (0.24%), HPV52 + HPV53 (0.21%), HPV52 + HPV81 (0.21%), HPV51 + HPV52 (0.19%), HPV16 + HPV58 (0.18%), and HPV39 + HPV52 (0.17%)., Conclusion: The study provided the largest scale information on the recent epidemiological characteristics of HPV infection in Xiamen, and even in Fujian Province, China, which would support making the prevention and control strategies for cervical cancer in the region., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Yao, Li, Chen, Du, Huang, Zhou, Zhang, Wang, Zhang, Xie, Xu, Ge and Zhou.)

As human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation and HPV-based cervical cancer (CC) screening programmes expand across sub-Saharan Africa, we investigated the potential impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status on high-risk (HR)-HPV distribution among women with CC in Côte d'Ivoire. From July 2018 to June 2020, paraffin-embedded CC specimens diagnosed in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire were systematically collected and tested for HR-HPV DNA. Type-specific HR-HPV prevalence was compared according to HIV status. Of the 170 CC specimens analysed (median age 52 years, interquartile range: [43.0-60.0]), 43 (25.3%) were from women living with HIV (WLHIV) with a median CD4 count of 526 [373-833] cells/mm 3 and 86% were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The overall HR-HPV prevalence was 89.4% [95% CI: 84.7-94.1]. All were single HR-HPV infections with no differences according to HIV status (P = .8). Among HR-HPV-positive CC specimens, the most prevalent HR-HPV types were HPV16 (57.2%), HPV18 (19.7%), HPV45 (8.6%) and HPV35 (4.6%), with no significant differences according to HIV status. Altogether, infection with HPV16/18 accounted for 71.1% [95% CI: 55.9-86.2] of CC cases in WLHIV vs 78.9% [95% CI: 71.3-86.5] in women without HIV (P = .3). The study confirms the major role of HPV16/18 in CC in Côte d'Ivoire and should support a regional scale-up of HPV16/18 vaccination programmes regardless of HIV status. However, vaccines targeting additional HR-HPV types, including HPV45 and HPV35, could further decrease future CC incidence in Côte d'Ivoire, both for WLHIV and women without HIV., (© 2023 The Authors. International Journal of Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of UICC.)

The detection of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) is crucial for early screening and preventing cervical cancer. However, the substantial workload in high-level hospitals or the limited resources in primary-level hospitals hinder widespread testing. To address this issue, we explored a sample-to-answer genotyping system and assessed its performance by comparing it with the traditional real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method conducted manually. Samples randomly selected from those undergoing routine real-time PCR detection were re-analyzed using the fully automatic GenPlex® system. This system identifies 24 types of HPV through a combination of ordinary PCR and microarray-based reverse hybridization. Inconsistent results were confirmed by repeated testing with both methods, and the κ concordance test was employed to evaluate differences between the two methods. A total of 365 samples were randomly selected from 7259 women. According to real-time PCR results, 76 were high-risk HPV negative, and 289 were positive. The GenPlex® system achieved a κ value greater than 0.9 (ranging from 0.920 to 1.000, p < 0.0001) for 14 types of high-risk HPV, except HPV 51 (κ = 0.697, p < 0.0001). However, the inconsistent results in high-risk HPV 51 were revealed to be false positive in real-time PCR by other method. When counting by samples without discriminating the high-risk HPV type, the results of both methods were entirely consistent (κ = 1.000, p < 0.0001). Notably, the GenPlex® system identified more positive cases, with 73 having an HPV type not covered by real-time PCR, and 20 potentially due to low DNA concentration undetectable by the latter. Compared with the routinely used real-time PCR assay, the GenPlex® system demonstrated high consistency. Importantly, the system's advantages in automatic operation and a sealed lab-on-chip format respectively reduce manual work and prevent aerosol pollution. For widespread use of GenPlex® system, formal clinical validation following international criteria should be warranted., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Multiple infections are a key component of HPV pathogenesis and have a direct impact on how an infection turns out. It's crucial to look at the associations between HPV multiple infections and both age and HPV genotypes in the Chinese population, searching for the causative factors of multiple infections with a view to providing new ideas for the treatment and prevention of multiple infections. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the data of HPV infections among outpatients from the 2019 year to the 2021 year of Shandong Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Analyzed the correlation between HPV multiple infections and age using logistic regression. Differences in the percentage of multiple infections between age groups were compared using the chi-square test. The chi-square test compared the differences in the distribution of 15 common HPV genotypes in mono- versus multiple infections. A two-dimensional matrix presented the frequency of HPV genotype combinations. Logistics regression analysis showed that age was significantly associated with the occurrence of multiple infections, with a dominance ratio OR 1.026 (95% CI 1.02-1.04). Interestingly, the proportion of HPV multiple infections among HPV-positive individuals increases with age in people older than 30 years of age. The chi-square test showed there was a difference in the distribution of HPV genotypes between multiple infections and mono- HPV infection (χ 2  = 76.4; p = 0.000), a difference in the composition of HPV genotypes for dual versus single infections (χ 2  = 90.6; p = 0.000) and a difference in HPV genotypes for triple versus single infections (χ 2  = 56.7; p = 0.000). A 2 × 2 matrix showed that the combination of HPV52/HPV58 (30; 6.4%) was the combination of the highest frequency of infection for dual infections; The HPV52/HPV58 (21; 4.8%) combination was the highest frequency of HPV triple infection combination. HPV multiple infections were positively correlated with age; increasing age was positively correlated with the proportion of HPV multiple infections in the total infected population; the distribution of the 15 common genotypes of HPV differed between multiple infections and single infections; and HPV52:58 was a common type of infection combination in the Shandong population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-35 accounts for up 10% of cervical cancers in Sub-Saharan Africa. We herein assessed the genetic diversity of HPV35 in HIV-negative women from Chad (identified as #CHAD) and HIV-infected men having sex with men (MSM) in the Central African Republic (CAR), identified as #CAR. Ten HPV35 DNA from self-collected genital secretions (n = 5) and anal margin samples (n = 5) obtained from women and MSM, respectively, were sequenced using the ABI PRISM® BigDye Sequencing technology. All but one HPV35 strains belonged to the A2 sublineage, and only #CAR5 belonged to A1. HPV35 from #CAR had higher L1 variability compared to #CHAD (mean number of mutations: 16 versus 6). L1 of #CAR5 showed a significant variability (2.29%), suggesting a possible intra-type divergence from HPV35H. Three (BC, DE, and EF) out of the 5 capsid loops domains remained totally conserved, while FG- and HI- loops of #CAR exhibited amino acid variations. #CAR5 also showed the highest LCR variability with a 16bp insertion at binding sites of the YY1. HPV35 from #CHAD exhibited the highest variability in E2 gene (P<0.05). E6 and E7 oncoproteins remained well conserved. There is a relative maintenance of a well conserved HPV35 A2 sublineage within heterosexual women in Chad and MSM with HIV in the Central African Republic., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Mboumba Bouassa et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Cervical cancer is strongly associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. In this retrospective study, we analyzed the data of postmenopausal women who were tested for HPV in Nanjing First Hospital from 2019 to 2021., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 14,608 postmenopausal women aged 45-90 years, who underwent HPV examination in Nanjing First Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. All participants were tested for 23 HPV genotypes. We subsequently analyzed the infection rate and evaluated the distribution of HPV using the chi-square test., Results: Our results showed that the HPV infection rate in postmenopausal women in Nanjing, China was 22.36%. In terms of age group, the infection rate was 19.54%, 24.30%, 26.58%, and 14.99% in those aged ≤ 50, 51-60, 61-70, and ≥ 71 years, respectively. The most common HPV subtypes were HPV52 (22.1 3%), HPV58 (15.86%), HPV53 (14.17%), HPV16 (12.61%), and HPV81 (11.66%), in that order. The single-HPV infection rate was 14.23%, and the multiple-genotype infection rate was 8.14% (1189/14,608)., Conclusions: This study showed that in Nanjing, China, the different age groups of post-menopausal women could have different rates of HPV infection, and the most common types were HPV52, HPV58, HPV53, HPV16 and HPV81. These findings highlighted the importance of understanding the epidemiology of HPV infection in specific populations, such as postmenopausal women in Nanjing, China. The results could provide valuable information for healthcare professionals and policymakers to develop targeted prevention and screening strategies for reducing the burden of HPV-related diseases in this population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) in the female population in Beijing, China, and identify the relationship between HPV genotypes and host factors., Methods: HPV testing was performed on women aged 15-89 (mean age 38.0 ± 10.9 years) from Beijing in 2020. High-risk HPV genotyping real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine HPV genotypes. The overall prevalence, age-specific prevalence, genotype distribution, and the correlation between HPV genotypes and cervical cytology were analyzed., Results: Among the 25,344 study participants, the single and double infection rates were 18.8% (4,777/25,344) and 4.2% (1,072/25,344), respectively. A total of 6,119 HPV-positive individuals were found to have 91.6% negative results for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM), 5.8% atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US), 0.9% low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), and 1.7% high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). In single HPV infections, the HPV16 genotype was highly associated with cervical cytology severity (χ 2 trend = 172.487, P < 0.001). Additionally, HPV infection rates increased gradually with age, and statistical differences were observed across age groups (χ 2  = 180.575; P < 0.001). High-risk HPV genotypes were highly prevalent in women below 25 years of age and those aged 55-59 years. Cluster analysis revealed that the 13 HPV genotypes could be roughly divided into two groups in a single infection; however, patterns of infection consistent with biological characteristics were not observed., Conclusion: High-risk HPV was found in 24.1% of outpatients, with HPV52, HPV58, HPV16, HPV39, and HPV51 being the most common high-risk genotypes. Single high-risk HPV infection was predominant. HPV16, HPV39, HPV51, and HPV52 were associated with cervical lesion progression. HPV16 infection was especially worrying since it aggravates cervical lesions. Because the infection rates of the 13 HPV genotypes differed by age, the peak HPV infection rate should not guide vaccination, screening, and prevention programs. Instead, these initiatives should be tailored based on the regional HPV distribution characteristics. Moreover, it was determined that Beijing's populace needed to receive treatment for HPV39 infection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

ObjectivesHuman papillomavirus (HPV), one of the commonest sexually transmitted infections, may be a cofactor in HIV acquisition. We systematically reviewed the evidence for an association of HPV infection with HIV acquisition in women, heterosexual men and men who have sex with men (MSM).Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsStudies meeting inclusion criteria in Pubmed, Embase and conference abstracts up to 29 July 2011 were identified. Random effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate summary hazard ratios (HR). Publication bias and statistical heterogeneity were evaluated and population attributable fractions (PAFs) calculated.ResultsEight articles were included, with previously unpublished data from five authors. Seven studies found an association between prevalent HPV and HIV acquisition. Risk of HIV acquisition in women doubled with prevalent HPV infection with any genotype [HR = 2.06 (95% CI = 1.44-2.94), I = 0%], although adjustment for confounders was often inadequate. The effect was similar for high-risk [HR = 1.99 (95% CI = 1.54-2.56), I = 8.4%] and low-risk [HR = 2.01 (95% CI = 1.27-3.20), I = 0%] HPV genotypes with weak evidence of publication bias (P = 0.06). Two studies in men were identified: both showed an association between HPV infection and HIV acquisition. Unpublished data from one of two studies in women indicated an association between genotypes targeted by HPV vaccines and HIV acquisition. PAFs for HIV attributable to infection with any HPV genotype ranged between 21 and 37%.ConclusionIf further studies validate the association between HPV infection and HIV acquisition, HPV vaccines may reduce HIV incidence in high HPV prevalence populations, in addition to preventing cervical cancer. HIV surveillance studies during implementation of HPV vaccine programmes are warranted.

BackgroundHigh-risk human papillomavirus (H-HPV) infection is linked to cervical neoplasia but its role in detecting cervical glandular lesions (GLs) is unclear. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA-IX) is a hypoxic biomarker that is highly expressed in neoplastic cervical GLs. The diagnostic utility of these biomarkers was evaluated by the Gynecologic Oncology Group in Japanese women with a cytological diagnosis of atypical glandular cells.MethodsImmunostaining was used to detect CA-IX in a conventional Pap smear. Immunoreactivity of CA-IX was interpreted by a panel of pathologists blinded to the histological diagnosis. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect H-HPV in a liquid-based cytology specimen.ResultsSignificant cervical lesions (SCLs), defined as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2, CIN3), adenocarcinoma in situ or invasive carcinoma, were observed in 37/88 (42%) of women. CA-IX testing alone (n=88) had a sensitivity of 89, 100 or 73% for SCLs, GLs or significant squamous lesions (SLs), respectively, with a false negative rate (FNR) of 14%. Testing for H-HPV (n=84) had a sensitivity of 65, 53 or 80% for SCLs, GLs or SLs, respectively, with a FNR of 22%. The combination of CA-IX and H-HPV testing had a sensitivity of 97, 100 or 93% for SCLs, GLs or SLs, respectively, with a FNR of 5%. Among eight H-HPV-negative GLs, six (75%) had a diagnosis of lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia (LEGH).ConclusionThe combination of CA-IX and HPV testing improved the diagnostic accuracy. The low rate of H-HPV positivity in the GLs was associated with coexisting LEGH independent of H-HPV.

Oral infection by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) has recently gained great attention because of its involvement in the development of a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The role of specific Alpha-HPVs in this regard has been well established, whereas the contribution of other genera is under investigation. Despite their traditional classification as “cutaneous” types, Beta and Gamma HPVs are frequently detected in oral samples. Due to the lack of a standardized protocol, a large variety of methodologies have been used for oral sample collection, DNA extraction, HPV detection and genotyping. Laboratory procedures influence the evaluation of oral HPV prevalence, which largely varies also according to the population characteristics, e.g., age, gender, sexual behavior, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status. Nevertheless, oral infection by Beta and Gamma HPVs seems to be even more common than Alpha-HPVs. The latter is 5–7% in the general population, and increases up to 30% approximately in HIV-infected men who have sex with men. Despite major advances in the evaluation of oral HPV prevalence, its natural history is still little understood, especially for Beta and Gamma HPVs. The latest technologies, such as Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), can be exploited to gain new insights into oral HPV, and to improve the identification of novel HPV types.