Diagnosis of anal human papillomavirus infection: polymerase chain reaction or cytology?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative patients engaging in promiscuous behaviors and anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cytology.


METHODS
Fifty-six HIV-positive patients and 49 HIV-negative patients who engaged in sexually promiscuous behavior were enrolled in the study. We performed cytological exams using the Pap smear and PCR for HPV-DNA detection, with identification of oncogenic strains. The 2001 Bethesda System terminology was used for the cytological exams. We also evaluated the immunologic status of the HIV-infected patients.


RESULTS
PCR positivity for HPV-DNA was higher in the group of HIV-positive patients than in the group of HIV-negative patients with a statistically significant difference. In contrast we did not find any statistically significant difference by cytological exam. Oncogenic strains were equally distributed in the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate the importance of the cytological exam for anal HPV screening in the population at high risk of sexually transmitted disease and that HPV-DNA PCR can be used only as adjunct test.
Department of Surgery P. Valdoni, University of Rome Sapienza, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Marileda
M
Indinnimeo
Gabriella
G
d'Ettorre
Annalisa
A
Fiore
Giancarlo
G
Ceccarelli
Antonio
A
Ciardi
Anna Marta
AM
Degener
Cosima Maria
CM
Moschella
Luciano
L
Izzo
Sara
S
Izzo
Guido
G
Antonelli
Ilaria
I
D'Angeli
Vincenzo
V
Vullo
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D001004:Anus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D055815:Young Adult
D004279:DNA, Viral