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Abstract Background Human papillomavirus high risk (HPV-HR) type 16 is a significant risk factor for head and neck cancers (HNC) independent of tobacco and alcohol. The purpose of this study was to determine whether antibody levels to the HPV-16 oncoproteins E6 and E7 measured in sera collected at baseline (BL) prior to treatment and at two post-treatment follow-up (FU) visits were associated with HNC risk factors or prognosis. Methods Presence of antibodies to HPV-16 E6 and E7 was evaluated in 109 newly diagnosed HNC cases with BL and FU blood samples, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results HPV-16 E6 and/or E7 seropositive HNC cases were associated with higher risk in younger patients (≤ 55 years), more sexual partners (≥ 10), oropharyngeal cancer, worse stage at diagnosis, poorer grade, and nodal involvement. Between BL and FU (median = 8.3 months), there were decreased antibody levels for seropositive E6 (73% vs. 27%, p = 0.02) and seropositive E7 patients (65% vs. 35%, p = 0.09) with 5% of BL E6 and 35% of BL E7 seropositive patients converting to negative status at FU. Overall mortality (OM) was significantly worse among BL E6 seronegative patients than among BL seropositive patients (40.2% vs.13.6%, p = 0.01). There were no disease specific (DS) deaths among BL E6 seropositive vs. 24% in BL E6 seronegative patients (p = 0.01). BL E7 seronegative patients also had higher mortality than BL seropositive patients (OM: 38.2% vs. 20.0%, p = 0.04; DS: 22.5% vs. 5.6%, p = 0.07). Conclusion These findings are the first to follow post-treatment OD levels of HPV-16 E6 and E7 in HNC and suggest that these HPV antibodies may be potential prognostic markers of survival in HNC patients.

A comparison of cervical cancer incidence and mortality in the Czech Republic with that from other countries shows that the burden of cervical cancer here is considerably higher than in Western Europe, where screening is widespread. In May 2008, the International Conference on Human Papillomavirus in Human Pathology was convened to review the latest evidence and to formulate consensus recommendations for the reduction of cervical cancer rates. The Czech Republic is spending considerable resources on cervical cancer prevention, but these resources are being used inefficiently. The current system is characterized by a lack of coordination and monitoring that leads to the over-screening of a minority of women while the majority of the target population are under-screened or not screened at all. It was recommended that a comprehensive, organized programme be implemented, coordinated by an independent administrative body with legal and budgetary responsibility. As the laboratory infrastructure and professional technical skills required for a quality-assured organized screening programme are already in place, implementation of this programme would not require much in the way of additional resources to produce substantial cost-effective reductions in cervical cancer rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Infection plays a role in the pathogenesis of many human malignancies. Whether prostate cancer (PCa) - an important health issue in the aging male population in the Western world - belongs to these conditions has been a matter of research since the 1970 s. Persistent serum antibodies are a proof of present or past infection. The aim of this study was to compare serum antibodies against genitourinary infectious agents between PCa patients and controls with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). We hypothesized that elevated serum antibody levels or higher seroprevalence in PCa patients would suggest an association of genitourinary infection in patient history and elevated PCa risk. Methods A total of 434 males who had undergone open prostate surgery in a single institution were included in the study: 329 PCa patients and 105 controls with BPH. The subjects' serum samples were analysed by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, complement fixation test and indirect immunofluorescence for the presence of antibodies against common genitourinary infectious agents: human papillomavirus (HPV) 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33, herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 and 2, human cytomegalovirus (CMV), Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Treponema pallidum. Antibody seroprevalence and mean serum antibody levels were compared between cases and controls. Tumour grade and stage were correlated with serological findings. Results PCa patients were more likely to harbour antibodies against Ureaplasma urealyticum (odds ratio (OR) 2.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-4.28). Men with BPH were more often seropositive for HPV 18 and Chlamydia trachomatis (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.09-0.61 and OR 0.45; 95% CI 0.21-0.99, respectively) and had higher mean serum CMV antibody levels than PCa patients (p = 0.0004). Among PCa patients, antibodies against HPV 6 were associated with a higher Gleason score (p = 0.0305). Conclusions Antibody seropositivity against the analyzed pathogens with the exception of Ureaplasma does not seem to be a risk factor for PCa pathogenesis. The presence or higher levels of serum antibodies against the genitourinary pathogens studied were not consistently associated with PCa. Serostatus was not a predictor of disease stage in the studied population.

Background: Although more than 70% of sexually active people are infected during their lifetime with one or more HPV types, the prevalence of anti-HPV antibodies in women without cytological abnormalities does not exceed 40%. The HPV infection is gained early after the onset of sexual life. However, little is known about the anti-HPV antibody profile in populations with various risky behaviors. Objectives: Comparison of the normal population represented by healthy women with the high risk group of sexual workers can bring important information especially in the current HPV vaccination era. Materials and Methods: The prevalence of anti-capsid antibodies in group of female sexual workers (no 114) and sex- and age-matche controls (no 342) was established by direct ELISA using virus-like particles (VLP) derived from HPV-6, -11, -16, -18, -31 and 33 as antigens. Results: The prevalence of antibodies to all antigens tested was statistically significantly higher in sexual workers than in controls. The differences were utmost pronounced in women till 25 years of age. There was a difference in the rate of seropositive individuals in older women as well but it did not reach significant values for most antigens tested. In HR VLP seropositive women 60.9% of controls and 38.4% of sexual workers possessed antibodies to only one of the four antigens tested (OR=2.51; 95% CI-1.4-4.5, P=0.003). On the contrary, seropositivity against all four HR VLP types was found in 24.7% of sexual workers and 7.8% of controls (OR=3.86; 95% C1-1.7-8.9; P=0.002). This observation was most apparent in the youngest group of women. Conclusions: Based on these findings it is plausible that the preventive HPV vaccination should occur before the sexual onset or very soon after that. The high prevalence of multiple seropositive sexual workers in the youngest group suggests the fast increase of HPV infections with respect to multiple sexual partners, though frequent use of condoms can be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The HPV type distribution is the most crucial parameter for estimation of the impact of cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccines on incidence of diseases etiologically linked with HPV. Objectives: Recently recta-analyses of HPV type distribution worldwide have been published but data from the Czech Republic were not included. Materials and Methods: Samples of squamose cell carcinomas from different anatomical locations (N=297) as well as samples of precancerous lesions (N=719) available in the bank of the National Reference Laboratory for Papillomaviruses in Prague were included. In this study samples of cancers from following locations were analyzed: cervix (SCC), vulva (VC). anus (AC), urinary bladder of male (BC), prostate (PC). head and neck (HNC). Samples of precancerous lesions were available from low-grade (LGL) and high-grade (HGL) cervical lesions, vulvar intraepithelial lesions (VIN) and anal adenomas (AA). HPV detection and typing was done using PCR with GP5+/6+-bio primers and reverse line blot assay. This method can detect at least 37 different HPV types and determine positivity for multiple HPV types. Results: Altogether, 94% of SCC, 34% of VC, 81% of AC, 62% of HNC, 8% of BC and no PC were HR HPV positive. Further we detected HPV in 87% of HGL, 61% of LGL samples, 87% of VIN and 40% of AA. HPV-16 was the most prevalent genotype in all types of carcinoma (63-90%). In SSC 8 other HR HPV types were detected while in other cancers only HR HPV-16, 18, 33 and 45 have been found. In cervical precancerous lesions bigger variety of HPV types was present but the same was not truth for precancerous lesions in other locations. Multiple infections were found mainly in the cervical lesions. Conclusions: The HPV type distribution in Czech women and men with diseases etiologically linked with HPV is very similar to the distribution revealed by recent worldwide studies. The proportion of lesions and carcinomas, which contain one or both vaccination HR HPV types and therefore can be prevented by vaccination, is considerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]