Human Papilloma Virus - Treatment

Castle PE, Garcia-Meijide M, Holladay EB, Chuke R, Payne J, Long A, Siefers H, Demuth F, Lorincz AT. Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD 20892-7234, USA.

We evaluated a more efficient method of processing liquid-based cervical cytology specimens for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing by Hybrid Capture II (HCII). Aliquots were made from 701 specimens in the following sequence: 4.0, 2.0, 1.0, 0.5, and 1.5 mL. The 4.0-mL aliquot was processed by the standard method (STP), and half of the processed material was tested by HCII. Other aliquots were processed with a new, filtration-based processing method (NPM). The 2.0-mL NPM aliquot had HCII test performance most similar to the STP, ie, similar HCII positivity (P = .4) and good test agreement (kappa = 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80-0.89). The 194 cytologic negatives had greater positivity by STP (P = .04) compared with the 2.0-mL aliquot processed by NPM; between-method agreement was modest (kappa = 0.54, 95% CI, 0.36-0.72). A lower positive cut point for the 2.0-mL NPM aliquot partially abrogated this minor difference. In 241 specimens diagnosed as low-grade and 31 as high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, there were no significant differences in HPVpositivity (>85% and 90%, respectively) between STP and NPM. NPM reduces specimen handling and decreases total testing time by approximately 33% without significant losses in HCII test performance.

Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2004;58(4):189-93. Epub 2004 Jul 14.

Increased frequency of bacterial vaginosis and Chlamydia trachomatis in pregnant women with human papillomavirus infection.

da Silva CS, Adad SJ, Hazarabedian de Souza MA, Macedo Barcelos AC, Sarreta Terra AP, Murta EF. Discipline of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculdade de Medicina do Triangulo Mineiro, Av. Getulio Guarita s/n, Bairro Abadia, 38025-440 Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The aim of this study was to verify the presence of bacterial vaginosis (BV), Candida sp, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, to determine the prevalence of tobacco use and measure vaginal pH (VpH) in pregnant women with (n = 26) and without (n = 26) human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and make comparisons between these 2 groups. HPV, C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae were diagnosed using hybrid capture, BV using clinical criteria, and Candida sp via cultures. A digital pH meter was used to measure VpH. The frequencies of Candida sp were 19.2 and 23.1% (p = 1), and VpH was 4.4 +/- 0.4 and 4.3 +/- 0.4 (p = 0.23), in the HPV-positive and HPV-negative groups, respectively. Compared to the group of pregnant women without HPV infection, those with HPV infection had a significantly higher prevalence of tobacco use (50 vs. 11.5%; p = 0.006), BV (53.8 vs. 15.4%; p = 0.007), and C. trachomatis (34.6 vs. 7.7%; p = 0.039). No case of N. gonorrhoeae was diagnosed. All cases of C. trachomatis and BV had high-grade HPV infection. Copyright (c) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2005 Feb;5(1):97-107.

Vaccination strategies for the prevention of cervical cancer.

Maclean J, Rybicki EP, Williamson AL. University of Cape Town, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Observatory Cape Town 7925, South Africa. jmaclean@science.uct.ac.za

Infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) is an essential step in the multistep process leading to cervical cancer. There are approximately 120 different types of HPV identified: of these, 18 are high-risk types associated with cervical cancer, with HPV-16 being the dominant type in most parts of the world. The major capsid protein of papillomavirus, produced in a number of expression systems, self assembles to form virus-like particles. Virus-like particles are the basis of the first generation of HPV vaccines presently being tested in clinical trials. Virus-like particles are highly immunogenic and afford protection from infection both in animal models and in Phase IIb clinical trials. A number of Phase III trials are in progress to determine if the vaccine will protect against cervical disease and, in some cases, genital warts. However, it is predicted that these vaccines will be too expensive for the developing world, where they are desperately needed. Another problem is that they will be type specific. Novel approaches to the production of virus-like particles in plants, second-generation vaccine approaches including viral and bacterial vaccine vectors and DNA vaccines, as well as different routes of immunization, are also reviewed.

Human Papilloma Virus - HPV Detection and Treatment Links

Colposcopy - Detailed Medical Description - From Oncolink - this description has quite a bit of medical terminology in it.

Colposcopy Basics - Brief description of what to expect during a colposcopy, from the Louisana State University Medical Center.