Correlation between cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and human papillomavirus male infections: a longitudinal study.
BACKGROUND
Genital HPV infection is one of the most common sexually-transmitted diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between HPV-associated lesions in male partners of women affected by CIN.


METHODS
210 male partners of women affected by CIN were examined in a long-term follow-up (from 5 to 13 years). The diagnosis in females was performed by cytology, colposcopy and histology. Male partners were submitted to clinical examination, peniscopy and biopsy.


RESULTS
111/210 (53%) females had CIN I, 53/210 (25%) and 46/210 (22%) had CIN III. Subclinical lesions were associated with 18%, 28% and 24% of male partners of women with CIN I, CIN II and CIN III, respectively. Clinical lesions were observed in 7% and 10% of sexual partners of women with CIN I and CIN II, respectively. Mixed lesions affected only 3% of sexual partners of women with CIN I.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that the transmissibility of HPV infection to the male partners of women affected by CIN was easier when there was a lower grade of CIN. In fact, male partners of women with CIN III had a lower percentage (26%) of clinical or subclinical HPV skin lesions.
II Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
A
A
Frega
P
P
Stentella
C
C
Villani
D
D
Di Ruzza
G L
GL
Marcomin
F
F
Rota
M
M
Boninfante
A
A
Pachì
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000821:virology*