Comparison of the Tellgenplex HPV DNA test with the PCR-reverse dot blot assay for human papillomavirus genotyping

Objective: To access the performance of the Tellgenplex human papillomavirus(HPV) DNA test compared to the polymerase chain reaction-reverse dot blot(PCR-RDB) assay for the HPV genotyping.Methods: Sixty cervical swab samples were genotyped by the Tellgenplex HPV DNA test and the PCR-RDB assay.The Tellgenplex HPV DNA test and the PCR-RDB assay can detect 26 and 23 HPV genotypes, respectively.Each sample showed discrepancy was genotyped using sequencing.Results: The percent agreement between the two tests ranged from 83.3% to 100.0% according to different genotype.This showed perfect agreement(>0.81) for high-risk HPV genotypes(35, 39, 45, 53, 56, 59, 66, 68, and 82), substantial agreement(>0.65) for high-risk HPV genotypes(16, 18, 33, 52, and 58) and low-risk HPV genotype 43 between the two assays by the kappa analysis.The positive rates of the two assays for frequent HPV genotypes(16, 35, 39, 45, 52, 53, 58, 59, 66, and 82) were not statistically different, but the PCR-RDB assay showed higher positive rates than the Tellgenplex HPV DNA test for HPV genotypes 81(P<0.05).As for more than 10 positive results by the Tellgenplex HPV DNA test and/or the PCR-RDB assay, the PCR-RDB assay showed higher relative sensitivity and specificity than the Tellgenplex HPV DNA test for the three HPV genotypes(16, 52, and 81).All HPV genotypes that can be detected by only the Tellgenplex HPV DNA test(HPV genotypes 44 and 55) were confirmed by sequencing.Conclusions: In conclusion, our results demonstrated that the PCR-RDB assay which can detect more multiple HPV genotypes in each specimen shows higher relative sensitivity and specificity than the Tellgenplex HPV DNA test, which makes it a better option for routine clinical use.

The Prevalence of High Grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) in a Primary Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Cervical Screening Programme Population with HPV Positive and Cytology Negative Smear Results

High-risk HPV is found in 99.7% of cervical cancers. The causative role of HPV in cervical cancer has led to the inclusion of HPV testing as part of cervical screening. A pilot of HPV testing as primary screening was commenced in 2013 at six pilot sites in England. North Cumbria Integrated Care (NCIC) NHS Foundation Trust took part in the pilot, in which women with an HPV-positive/cytology-negative result were recalled at 12 months. Women with HPV type 16/18 found at initial screening and persisting at 12 months in spite of negative cytology were referred to Colposcopy services at 12 months. Women with smear positive for hrHPV other than 16/18 types were recalled twice at 12 and 24 months before referral to colposcopy. Persistent hrHPV positive/cytology negative smear at 12 and 24 months initiated a colposcopy referral. Objective: To assess the prevalence of high grade CIN and invasive cancer in patients referred to colposcopy services at NCIC NHS Foundation Trust with hrHPV positive/cytology negative smears. Method: The study was conducted at NCIC NHS Foundation Trust between January 2015 and December 2017. Data was collected retrospectively from the colposcopy data base (INFOFLEX). All patients with HPV positive/cytology negative smears seen in colposcopy clinic during the study period were included. Patients with high grade CIN, cervical glandular intraepithelial neoplasia (CGIN) or invasive cancer were recorded. Results: 763 women were included in the study. A total of 50 (6.6%) women had high grade CIN, CGIN or invasive cancer. 40 of these 50 women (80%) were treated by large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ). Conclusion: HPV primary screening is more effective than cytology-based screening. A high grade HPV positive result with negative cytology, persisting for one year in type 16/18 and for two years in other high-risk HPV types, warrants referral for colposcopy, as 6.6% of women in this study had high grade or invasive pathology.

A study on the cognitive status of human papillomavirus among adult males in Tianjin based on the health belief model

Background:To understand the health beliefs and knowledge of human papillomavirus among adult males in Tianjin.Methods:An online questionnaire survey was conducted from 18 January 2023 to 6 March 2023 using snowball sampling method.Analyze the health belief scores and human papillomavirus(HPV)and HPV vaccine knowledge scores of adult males in Tianjin,and analyze their influencing factors.Results:A total of 388 adult males in Tianjin were surveyed,with an average total score of 3.23±0.04 for their health beliefs.Among them,the average scores for perceived severity,perceived susceptibility,perceived impairment,perceived benefit,and self-efficacy were 3.41±1.05,2.37±1.20,2.96±1.00,3.51±0.90,and 3.36±1.08,respectively.Multiple linear regression analyses showed education was a factor influencing health beliefs.The average total score of knowledge is 64.09±15.62,with 277 people scoring above 60,and a pass rate of 71.4%.Through multiple linear regression analysis,education level,emotional status,whether disease testing has been done,and whether family and friends have been diagnosed with HPV positive are the main influencing factors.Conclusion:The awareness rate of HPV among adult males in Tianjin is still acceptable,but there are still misconceptions.The overall level of health beliefs is moderate,and the perceived susceptibility level is low.It is necessary to strengthen health education on HPV related knowledge for males and improve their cognitive level.

Mother-to-Child Transmission of Human Papillomavirus in Burkina Faso

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most widespread sexually transmitted infection in the world. Today, there is growing evidence that HPV can be transmitted early in life, and one potential route is mother-to-child transmission. Data on this route of HPV transmission are scarce in Africa and particularly in Burkina Faso, where no data on the subject are yet available. The aim of our study was to estimate the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HPV infection and to identify circulating genotypes. Methodology: Cervico-uterine samples were collected from 100 full-term pregnant women and, buccal samples were obtained from their newborns at Hopital Saint Camille de Ouagadougou (HOSCO) by the specialist physician. HPV DNA amplification and genotyping were performed by PCR followed by hybridization using the HPV Direct Flow Chips kit, detecting 36 genotypes including 18 high-risk and 18 low-risk. Results: The prevalence of HPV in newborns was 8% (8/100). Six (6) HPV-positive neonates had HPV-positive mothers, while 2 HPV-positive neonates had HPV-negative mothers. The vertical transmission rate was 26.09% (6/23). Mother-newborn genotypes were concordant. However, the genotype profile of the newborns was more restricted than that of the mothers. Conclusion: HPV DNA was found in 8% of newborns in our study. The genotype profile of the mother-newborn pair was concordant. Asymptomatic HPV infection in a pregnant woman could constitute a risk factor for vertical transmission.

Prevalence of Precancerous Lesions Based on Digital Cervicography with VIA/VILI among Women Positive for High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Serotypes: A Screening Center-Based Study in Cameroon

Background: Since 2021, high-risk Human Papilloma Virus (HR-HPV) testing has been the recommended screening test for cervical cancer for all settings;either used alone in a “test and treat” strategy, or with a triage test, with or without biopsy, before treatment. Cameroon has rolled out immunization against HPV 16 and 18, but studies show a higher prevalence of non-16/18 HR-HPV types. Objectives: Determine the prevalence of precancerous lesions, in women with HR-HPV infection and evaluate association of digital cervicography (DC) VIA/VILI positivity with HPV serotype, as a measure of their contribution to precancer and cancer incidence. Methodology: The study was cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytic. It took place at the Etoug-Ebe and Ekoudoum Baptist Hospitals in Yaoundé, during the period April-September 2022. We reviewed the records of women screened for cervical cancer between February 2020 and December 2021 and evaluated the prevalence of lesions on digital cervicography (DC) with VIA/VILI for women positive for HR-HPV serotypes. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 for Windows. P values Results: We identified 315 cases with a positive HR-HPV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test, 224 (71.1%) had a DC VIA/VILI triage test done. Of these, 30 (13.4%) women had a positive DC VIA/VILI, with five women (2.2%) having lesions suggestive of cancer. Out of 11 cases positive for HPV 16 alone, 05 (45.5%) had a positive DC VIA/VILI test. Of the 14 cases positive for HPV 18 alone, 03 (21.4%) had a positive VIA/VILI, meanwhile only 19 (10.7%) of the 177 cases positive for non-16/18 HPV had a positive VIA/VILI test. Conclusion: A high proportion of women (13.4%) with HR HPV had a positive DC VIA/VILI, with a significant proportion (2.2%) having lesions suggestive of invasive cervical cancer HR-HPV serotype was associated with DC VIA/VILI positivity;HPV 16 had the strongest association (45.5%), followed by HPV 18 (21.4%), and non-16/18 HR-HPV (10.7%), suggesting a decreasing order of oncogenicity.

Evaluating the Association between Human Papillomavirus and Vulvar Cancer:A Comprehensive Analysis Using Bradford Hill Criteria

Background:The role of human papillomavirus(HPV)in the development of vulvar cancer(VC)has been widely studied,but findings have been inconsistent.Despite numerous meta-analyses exploring the potential link between HPV and VC,the association remains controversial due to inherent limitations in meta-analytic methods.Objectives:To address this controversy,the study aims to investigate the potential link between HPV and VC using the Bradford Hill criteria,which offer a more comprehensive framework for establishing causation.Methodology:The study began by extracting all relevant studies on the association between HPV and VC from the PubMed database.The potential links were then assessed by examining the data using the major postulates of the Bradford Hill criteria.To ensure the reliability of the findings,the methodologies of the identified studies were critically evaluated to account for possible false-negative and false-positive results.Results:The assessment of previous studies against the Bradford Hill criteria revealed that the major postulates were not fulfilled.Conclusion:Based on the findings,it can concluded that there is no causal association between HPV and VC.

Distribution of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Genotypes among Women with Colposcopic Diagnosis of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia in Bangladesh

Background: The incidence of cervical cancer is high in Bangladesh and there is a high prevalence of preinvasive lower genital tract disease among women of reproductive age. Persistent high-risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is the main underlying cause of cervical cancer and its precursor, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Objective: The aim of the study was to identify the subtypes of high-risk HPV infection among women with the colposcopic diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the colposcopy clinic of Dhaka Medical College Hospital over a six-month period. A total of 100 participants were enrolled. Married women, between 30 - 60 years of age with colposcopically diagnosed cervical intra epithelial neoplasia were enrolled. Women with chronic illness, pregnancy, and women unable to consent were excluded from this study. After counselling, colposcopically directed punch biopsies were taken from each CIN case concurrently with high-risk HPV testing by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The mean age of the patients was 38.69 (SD ±7.76) years. CIN 1 was diagnosed in 57% of participants, while 24% had CIN II and 19% had CIN III lesions. High-risk HPV was present in 52 patients. HPV 16 was the most common identified in 28 (53.84%) and HPV 18 was the second most common with 20 (38.46%) either singly or in combination with other high-risk subtypes. The other HPV strains, HPV 31, 33, 35, 52, 56 and 58, were also detected either as mono or co-infections. Out of the 52 HPV positive cases, 29 (55.8%) had mono infection and 23 (44.2%) had co-infection with several subtypes. The highest incidence (50%) of oncogenic HPV infections was present among women aged 35 - 45 years. Risk factors associated with HPV positive cases were high parity (P 0.05), early age at marriage (P = 0.754) and early age of first child. Conclusion: This study identified a high prevalence of HPV 16 and 18 genotypes. HPV vaccination with the current 9-valent HPV vaccine, which contains HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. Will be an effective public health measure to eradicate cervical cancer in Bangladesh.

Analysis of Human Papillomavirus Infection in Cervical Exfoliated Cells

To screen patients with early cervical lesions by analyzing the infection of high-risk Human papillomavirus (HR-HPV). Research Methods: The cervical exfoliated cell specimens and their clinical data were collected. The HPV infection types of the collected specimens were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the correlation between HPV infection and clinicopathological features was analyzed statistically. Results: 725 cases were HR-HPV positive from 2605 cases, including 15 high-risk types of HPV16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68. Different histological types ranged from NILM to HSIL, and the positive rate of HPV showed an increasing trend with the aggravation of cervical lesions. Conclusion: The positive rate of 15 high-risk HPV types in the collected specimens was 27.8%. Patients with early cervical lesions could be screened for 15 high-risk HPV infection types.

HPV/HBV or HPV/HCV Co-Infections in Women Treated for Chronic Hepatitis at Hôpital Saint Camille in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Introduction: Cervical cancer is a public health concern and is mainly caused by Human papillomaviruses (HPV). In many parts of the world, studies are being carried out to understand the different genotypes to better tackle this issue. We conducted a study to determine the prevalence of HPV genotypes in women with chronic hepatitis B or C infection, co-infected or not with HIV, treated at the Hôpital Saint Camille in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). Methods: This study was conducted from April to July 2023, including 100 women in gastroenterology at Hôpital Saint Camille. A questionnaire on their socio-demographic and life style was administrated;and endocervical samples were collected using sterile swabs and then sent to Centre of Biomolecular Research Pietro Annigoni (CERBA). HPV molecular detection and genotyping were performed by PCR and hybridization using the HPV Direct Flow Chips kit. Data were analysis using chi square test or Fischer’s exact test with a significance threshold for p Results: The prevalence of HPV infection was 28% (28/100) on the sample of women tested. The most frequent genotypes were HPV 52 (8.33%), followed by HPV 18 and 68 (6.25% each) for high-risk HPVs, and HPV 6, 44/55 and 62/81 (8.33% each) for low-risk HPVs. Conclusion: This study, the first of its kind in Burkina Faso on this group of the population, reveals that the most frequent genotypes found in this study are not included in the vaccine available in Burkina Faso (Gardasil®4).

Assembly and Immunogenicity of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Major Capsid Protein(HPV16 L1) in Pichia pastoris

In this study, a recombinant Pichia pastoris expression system was developed to express HPV16 L1 protein that was driven by a strong AOX1 promoter. HPV16L1 gene was cloned into vector pPICZ,αB. HPV16 L1 protein expression induced by methanol was screened by using sodium dedecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis （SDSPAGE） and Western blotting. The results indicate that the HPVl6 L1 protein is secreted by the recombinant P. pastoris, and the purified HPV16 L1 protein can self-assemble into vires-like particles（ VLPs）, which show a good immunogenicity and induces high-titer antibody in mice.

临海市女性 HPV 感染情况分析

目的了解临海市女性宫颈人乳头瘤病毒(HPV)的感染现状和年龄分布特点,为区域内宫颈癌的筛查和HPV疫苗接种提供参考依据。方法对2019年1月—2022年12月就诊的5932例女性HPV感染情况进行回顾性分析。结果临海市HPV感染率为24.85%,主要以高危型HPV感染为主,24种型别均有检出。在HPV阳性者中,单一型别感染率为17.99%。不同年龄段的HPV感染率不同,20岁后各年龄组的HPV感染率随着年龄增大而上升,各年龄组的HPV感染率差异存在统计学意义。结论临海市女性HPV感染率相对较高,建议适龄女性树立自我保护意识,避免性传播疾病的发生,及时接种宫颈癌疫苗,降低感染风险。

Transient Expression of Human Papillomavirus Type 16(HPV 16) mRNA in Normal Human Keratinocytes Transfected by pSV2-neo/16

Objective:To investigate the expression of HPV16 mRNA in normal human keratinocytes transfected with pSV2-neo/16.First human keratinocytes were cultured in the serum-free medium M154.Second,the plasmid pSV2-neo/16 was transfected into the human keratinocytes using a transfecting reagent.Third,RT-PCR and Southern Blotting were used to detect the expression of HPV16 mRNA and DNA in the transfected keratinocytes,respectively.Results:The expression of HPV 16 mRNA was successfully amplified and an 110bp was ditected by RT-PCR.A 7.9kb fragment was confirmed in the transfected keratinocytes by Southern Blot analysis.Conclusion:HPV 16 mRNA and DNA were successfully detected in the human keratinocytes.

Detection of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 DNA in Cervical Carcinomas

Accurate typing of the different human papillomavirus types is csscntial in view of the differ-ent pathological potential of the common virus types of human papillomavirus （HPV） present in thecervix. We have developed hybridization, washing and autoradiography conditions that minimize thecross-hybridization among different specific types of HPV so as to allow clear - cut type assignmentthrough practical dot blot hybridization technique using nylon membrane and 35S - labeled HPV - 16DNA probe. Under these conditions seventeen of thirty （56.7%） of squamous cell carcinomas of thecervix uteri obtained from Tianjin women were detected in the presence of HPV - 16 DNA.

Expression and clinical significance of high risk human papillomavirus and invasive gene in cervical carcinoma

Objective:To study the expression of E6 and E7 mRNA in high-risk human papillomavirus(HPV) HPV-18 and the relationship between the expression of invasive gene and cervical carcinoma.Methods:A total of 119 patients with cervical cancer,cervical erosion and cervical HPV infection who were diagnosed in our hospital were selected and randomly divided into two groups:cervical cancer group(n= 58) and non-cancerous group(n= 61).Another 60 patients with uterine leiomyoma were selected as normal control group.Detection of HPV18 E6,E7 mRNA expression and invasion,migration,proliferation inhibition genes,epithelial mesenchymal transition genes and proliferation related protein content.Results:The relative expression of E6 and E7 HPV-18 in cervical cancer group was significant higher than that in non-cancerous group and control group(mRNA)(P<0.05).The content of TRAF6 and c-FLIP in invasive cervical cancer group was significantly higher than that in non-cancerous group and control group(P<0.05).The mR NA content of CD44v6 and MMP-9 in cervical cancer group was significantly higher than that in non-cancerous group and control group(P<0.05).The content of DEC-1,IKK16,MBP-1 in cervical cancer group was significant lower than that in non-cancerous group and control group(P<0.05).The mR NA content of beta-catenin and Vimentin in cervical cancer group was significantly lower than that in non cancerous group and control group(P<0.05).The proliferation related protein E2F1 of cervical cancer group was significantly lower than that of non-cancerous group and control group,Bmi-1 content was significantly higher than non-cancerous group and control group(P<0.05).Conclusions:The expression of the detection of cervical cancer in high-risk human papilloma virus HPV-18 E6 and E7 mRNA,and the invasion,migration,proliferation inhibition gene,epithelial mesenchymal transition and proliferation related gene protein content,HPV expression rate of mR NA increased with the development of cervical cancer,the expression is also enhanced.The expression has a certain correlation between the level and development of cervical cancer.Through the above indicators,the development of cervical cancer monitoring and treatment to provide important clinical guidance.

Accuracy of triage strategies for human papillomavirus DNA-positive women in low-resource settings:A cross-sectional study in China

Objective： CareHPV is a human papillomavirus （HPV） DNA test for low-resource settings （LRS）. This study assesses optimum triage strategies for careHPV-positive women in LRS. Methods： A total of 2,530 Chinese women were concurrently screened for cervical cancer with visual inspection with acetic acid （VIA）, liquid-based cytology and HPV testing by physician- and self-collected careHPV, and physician-collected Hybrid Capture 2 （HC2）. Screen-positive women were referred to colposcopy with biopsy and endocervical curettage as necessary. HPV-positivity was defined as _〉1.0 relative light units/cutoff （RLU/CO） for both careHPV and HC2. Primary physician-HC2, physician-careHPV and self-careHPV and in sequential screening with cytology, VIA, or increased HPV test-positivity performance, stratified by age, were assessed for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia （CIN） grade 2/3 or worse （CIN2/3＋） detection. Results： The sensitivities and specificities of primary HPV testing for CIN2＋ were： 83.8%, 88.1% for physician- careHPV; 72. 1%, 88.2% for self-careHPV; and 97.1%, 86.0% for HC2. Physician-careHPV test-positive women with VIA triage had a sensitivity of 30.9% for CIN2＋ versus 80.9% with cytology triage. Self-careHPV test- positive women with VIA triage was 26.5% versus 66.2 % with cytology triage. The sensitivity of HC2 test-positive women with VIA triage was 38.2 % versus 92.6% with cytology triage. The sensitivity of physician-careHPV testing for CIN2＋ decreased from 83.8% at _〉1.0 RLU/CO to 72.1% at _〉10.00 RLU/CO, while the sensitivity of self- careHPV testing decreased from 72.1% at _〉1.0 RLU/CO to 32.4% at _〉10.00 RLU/CO; similar trends were seen with age-stratification. Conclusions： VIA and cytology triage improved specificity for CIN2/3 than no triage. Sensitivity with VIA triage was unsuitable for a mass-screening program. VIA provider training might improve this strategy. Cytology triage could be feasible where a high-quality cytology program exists. Triage of HPV test-positive women by increased test positivity cutoff adds another LRS triage option.

Molecular Epidemiological Study on Prevalence of Human Papillomaviruses in Patients with Common Warts in Beijing Area

Objective To study the circulation, distribution, and genomic diversity of HPVs in common warts in Beijing area of China. Methods Forty eight patients with pathologically diagnosed common warts were screened for the presence of HPV with HPV type-specific PCR and direct sequencing analysis. The genomic diversity of HPVs prevalent in Chinese patients was analyzed based on LCR. Results Forty one （85.5%） samples were positive for HPV DNA, 13（31.7%）-HPV-57, 12（29.3%）-HPV-la, 7（17%）-HPV-27 and 5（12.2%）-HPV-2a. Four cases were infected with two different HPV types, two （4.9%） with HPV-la and HPV-27, one （2.4%） with HPV-1 and HPV-57 and one （2.4%） with HPV-27 and HPV-57. In contrast to the prevalence of single strain of novel HPV-57 variant and HPV-1 prototype, two HPV-2 and three HPV-27 novel variants were found to circulate in Beijing. Conclusion HPV-1, -2, -27 and -57 are predominantly prevalent in patients with common warts in Beijing.

Comparison of Human Papillomavirus Detection and Genotyping with Four Different Prime Sets by PCR-Sequencing

Objective To assess and compare the Human Papillomavirus（HPV） detection efficiency and the potential clinical utility of PCR sequencing‐based technology.Methods Four HPV consensus primer sets（GP5＋/6＋,MGP,MY09/11,and PGMY09/11） were used in order to amplify a broad spectrum of HPV types for HPV infection in 325 cervical samples and the PCR products were sequenced afterwards for the HPV genotyping.Results The HPV‐positive rate was 75.4%,of which 35.5% harbored more than one HPV genotype.A total of 36 different genotypes was found,with HPV 16（24.1%） being the most prevalent,followed by HPV 58（13.3%） and HPV 52（9.6%）.There were substantial to almost perfect agreements between different primer sets regarding HPV detection efficiency,with the kappa value varying from 0.751 to 0.925,MGP,and PGMY09/11 were the most effective in detecting multiple infections（P0.001）.With each of the primer sets,a board range of HPV types could be identified,though there were several differences for a few genotypes.Conclusion The substantial agreement between PCR‐sequencing and HC2 for the detection of high‐risk HPV（kappa=0.761） indicated that PCR‐sequencing is also suitable for routine HPV screening.

Urine versus brushed samples in human papillomavirus screening： study in both genders

Aim： To investigate whether urine is a good medium for screening and whether there is a correlation between the amount of extracted DNA and human papillomavirus （HPV）-positivity. Methods： In the present study, 30 first-voided urine （FVU） specimens and 20 urethroglandular swabs using cervex-brushes from male partners of HPV-positive patients, and 31 FVU specimens and 100 liquid-based cervix cytology leftovers sampled with cervix-brushes from HPV-positive women were examined for the presence of β-globin. Oncogenic HPV were detected using type-specific PCR. Results： β-globin was found in all the brushed samples, whereas it was found in only 68.9% of the FVU specimens. HPV-PCR was positive in 60.0% of the male brushes, in 29% of the female brushes and in 0% of the male FVU specimens. DNA concentration was, respectively, 0.9998 ng/μL, 37.0598 ng/μL and 0.0207 ng/μL. Conclusion： Urine is not a good tool for HPV detection, probably because the low DNA concentration reflects a low amount of collected cells. β-globin is measurable in FVU by real time quantitative PCR, but the DNA concentration is lower compared to brush sampling for both genders. β-globin-positivity of urethral and cervical swabs is 100%, showing a higher mean concentration of DNA, leading to a higher detection rate of HPV. This is the first article linking DNA- concentration to the presence of HPV.

Human Papillomavirus as an Independent Predictor in Oral Squamous Cell Cancer

Aim There is an increasing evidence for the role of high risk human papillomavirus （HPV） in the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma （OSCC）. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relevance of HPV infection to the survival and prognosis of OSCC. Methodology Fifty-two patients with OSCC were followed from 4 to 88 months with a median of 50.7 months. HPV DNA was identified in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor specimens by nested PCR with MY09/MY11 and GP5^＋/GP6^＋ primer pairs and the HPV genotype was determined by direct DNA sequencing. Association between the HPV status and risk factors for cancer as well as tumor-host characteristics were analyzed.Survival curves were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and analyzed using the log-rank test. Results HPV was found in 40.4% of the tumors with HPV16 accounting for 63.5%, HPV18 for 30.8%, HPV6 for 3.9% and HPVll for 1.8%. No infection with more than one HPV genotype was detected. HPV infection was significantly associated with poor histological grade, TNM stage Ⅰ -Ⅱ, alcohol usage and no smoking status. Multivariate analysis showed that HPV had an independent prognostic effect on the overall survival after adjusting other confounding factors such as histological grade, TNM stage and tobacco usage. The presence of HPV was significantly correlated with a better survival in patients with OSCC. Conclusion HPV infection can act as an independent predictor for the survival and prognosis of OSCC.

Relationship between the Expression of Telomerase and Human Papillomavirus Infection in Invasive Uterine Cervical Carcinoma

Telomerase activity was examined in invasive cervical carcinoma to assess whether it is activated during cervical malignant transformation and to look for its possible association with human papillomavirus （HPV） infection. Histologically confirmed invasive cervical carcinomas and benign cervices were assayed for telomerase activity by using a modified telomere repeat amplification protocol （TRAP）. The same cases were subjected to polymerase chain reaction （PCR） detection of HPV by using consensus primers and type-specific （HPV types 16 and 18） primers. Telomerase activity was detected in 40 of 45 （88.9%） invasive cervical carcinomas and 2 （all chronic cervicitis） of 50 （4%） benign cervical lesions. HPV was detected in 36 （24 HPV-16 and 4 HPV-18 cases） of 45 （80%） invasive cervical carcinomas and 20 （11 HPV-16 and 1 HPV-18 cases） of 50 （40%） benign cervical changes. There was a significant correlation between the expression of telomerase with histological grade （φ=0.44, P〈0.005）, but no correlation was found between telomerase expression and HPV-18 （P〉0.05）. Although larger sample studies are needed, there seems to be a clear association between telomerase upregulation and HPV status, mainly HPV-16 infection.