Analysis of the Prevalence of HTLV-1 Proviral DNA in Cervical Smears and Carcinomas from HIV Positive and Negative Kenyan Women.
The oncogenic retrovirus human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is endemic in some countries although its prevalence and relationship with other sexually transmitted infections in Sub-Saharan Africa is largely unknown. A novel endpoint PCR method was used to analyse the prevalence of HTLV-1 proviral DNA in genomic DNA extracted from liquid based cytology (LBC) cervical smears and invasive cervical carcinomas (ICCs) obtained from human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV+ve) and HIV-negative (HIV-ve) Kenyan women. Patient sociodemographic details were recorded by structured questionnaire and these data analysed with respect to HIV status, human papillomavirus (HPV) type (Papilocheck(®)) and cytology. This showed 22/113 (19.5%) of LBC's from HIV+ve patients were positive for HTLV-1 compared to 4/111 (3.6%) of those from HIV-ve women (p = 0.0002; odds ratio (OR) = 6.42 (2.07-26.56)). Only 1/37 (2.7%) of HIV+ve and none of the 44 HIV-ve ICC samples were positive for HTLV-1. There was also a significant correlation between HTLV-1 infection, numbers of sexual partners (p < 0.05) and smoking (p < 0.01). Using this unique method, these data suggest an unexpectedly high prevalence of HTLV-1 DNA in HIV+ve women in this geographical location. However, the low level of HTLV-1 detected in HIV+ve ICC samples was unexpected and the reasons for this are unclear.
Viral Oncology Lab, University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. xiaotong.he@manchester.ac.uk.
Xiaotong
X
He
Viral Oncology Lab, University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. dr.maranga@yahoo.com.|Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta National Hospital Nairobi, Nairobi 00202, Kenya. dr.maranga@yahoo.com.
Innocent O
IO
Maranga
Viral Oncology Lab, University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. Anthony.W.Oliver@manchester.ac.uk.
Anthony W
AW
Oliver
Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta National Hospital Nairobi, Nairobi 00202, Kenya. gichangip@yahoo.com.
Peter
P
Gichangi
Viral Oncology Lab, University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. lynne.hampson@manchester.ac.uk.
Lynne
L
Hampson
Viral Oncology Lab, University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. ian.n.hampson@manchester.ac.uk.
Ian N
IN
Hampson
D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D055815:Young Adult
D004279:DNA, Viral
PCR; human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1); human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); human papilloma virus (HPV); invasive cervical cancer (ICC); liquid based cytology (LBC); proviral DNA; retrovirus