Cervical Precancer Risk in HIV-Infected Women Who Test Positive for Oncogenic Human Papillomavirus Despite a Normal Pap Test

Variations in Genes Encoding Human Papillomavirus Binding Receptors and Susceptibility to Cervical Precancer

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer oncogenesis starts with human papillomavirus (HPV) cell entry after binding to host cell surface receptors; however, the mechanism is not fully known. We examined polymorphisms in receptor genes hypothesized to be necessary for HPV cell entry and assessed their associations with clinical progression to precancer.

METHODS

African American women (N = 1,728) from the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study were included. Two case-control study designs were used-cases with histology-based precancer (CIN3+) and controls without; and cases with cytology-based precancer [high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL)] and controls without. SNPs in candidate genes (SDC1, SDC2, SDC3, SDC4, GPC1, GPC2, GPC3, GPC4, GPC5, GPC6, and ITGA6) were genotyped using an Illumina Omni2.5-quad beadchip. Logistic regression was used to assess the associations in all participants and by HPV genotypes, after adjusting for age, human immunodeficiency virus serostatus, CD4 T cells, and three principal components for ancestry.

RESULTS

Minor alleles in SNPs rs77122854 (SDC3), rs73971695, rs79336862 (ITGA6), rs57528020, rs201337456, rs11987725 (SDC2), rs115880588, rs115738853, and rs9301825 (GPC5) were associated with increased odds of both CIN3+ and HSIL, whereas, rs35927186 (GPC5) was found to decrease the odds for both outcomes (P value ≤ 0.01). Among those infected with Alpha-9 HPV types, rs722377 (SDC3), rs16860468, rs2356798 (ITGA6), rs11987725 (SDC2), and rs3848051 (GPC5) were associated with increased odds of both precancer outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Polymorphisms in genes that encode binding receptors for HPV cell entry may play a role in cervical precancer progression.

IMPACT

Our findings are hypothesis generating and support further exploration of mechanisms of HPV entry genes that may help prevent progression to cervical precancer.

Comparison of anal pre-cancer screening strategies among men who have sex with men

PURPOSE

Comparison of anal pre-cancer screening strategies in men who have sex with men (MSM).

METHODS

MSM in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study underwent repeated anal cytology (aCyt), oncogenic human papillomavirus (oncHPV) testing. A subset received High-Resolution Anoscopy (HRA). We evaluated three screening strategies for their ability to predict anal histological High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial lesion (HSIL): single aCyt, sequential aCyt, and oncHPV co-testing. Multivariable logistic regression models evaluated risk of HSIL among participants undergoing HRA within 5 years of screening. Sensitivity and specificity were estimated among participants with HRA, and results corrected for verification bias using weighted generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

There were 1426 MSM with aCyt screening (48% people with HIV [PWH]) and 428 that underwent HRA. Median age was 57 years, 14% of PWH had CD4< 350 cells/mm3. HSIL probability was higher in MSM with one (39%, p < 0.01) or two abnormal aCyt results (46%, p < 0.01), versus those with normal aCyt (23-24%). Among men with abnormal aCyt, men with oncHPV+ had significantly higher risk than those who were oncHPV- (47% vs. 16%, p < 0.01). Specificity was modest with single aCyt+ (50%) but increased with sequential aCyt+ (79%) or oncHPV+ (67%). Sensitivity was high with single oncHPV+ (88%), moderate with single aCyt+ (66%) and oncHPV+ co-testing (61%), and low with sequential aCyt+ (39%). After correcting for potential verification bias, specificity increased and sensitivity decreased, but inferences were similar.

CONCLUSION

None of the screening strategies evaluated had both sufficient specificity and sensitivity to warrant routine widespread use.

A comparison of high-grade cervical abnormality risks in women living with and without human immunodeficiency virus undergoing routine cervical-cancer screening

As the US moves increasingly towards using human papillomavirus (HPV) testing with or without concurrent cytology for cervical cancer screening, it is unknown what the corresponding risks are following a screening result for women living with HIV (WLWH), which will dictate the optimal clinical follow-up. Therefore, using medical records data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California, which introduced triennial HPV and cytology co-testing in women aged 30-64 years in 2003, we compared risks of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN2) or more severe diagnoses (CIN2+) in women not known to have HIV (HIV[-] women) (n = 67,488) frequency matched 111:1 on age and year of the first co-test to the 608 WLWH (n = 608). WLWH were more likely to test HPV positive (20.2% vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001) and have non-normal cytology (14.1% vs. 4.1%, p < 0.001) than HIV[-] women. Five-year CIN2+ risks for all WLWH and HIV[-] women were 3.5% (95%CI = 2.0-5.0%) and 1.6% (95%CI = 1.5-1.8%) (p = 0.01), respectively. Five-year CIN2+ risks for WLWH with positive HPV and non-normal cytology, positive HPV and normal cytology, negative HPV and non-normal cytology, and negative HPV and normal cytology were 24.9% (95%CI = 13.4-36.4%), 3.0% (95%CI = 0.0-7.4%), 3.6 (95%CI = 0.0-9.8%) and 0.3% (95%CI = 0.0-0.8%), respectively. Corresponding 5-year CIN2+ risks for HIV[-] women were 26.6% (95%CI = 24.6-28.7%), 8.5% (95%CI = 7.2-9.9%), 1.9% (95%CI = 1.0-2.8%), and 0.5% (95%CI = 0.4-0.6%), respectively. Thus, in this healthcare setting, the main cause in overall CIN2+ risk differences between WLWH and HIV[-] women was the former was more likely to screen positive and once the screening result is known, it may be reasonable to manage both populations similarly.

Comparative assessment of test characteristics of cervical cancer screening methods for implementation in low-resource settings

Cervical cancer disproportionately affects low-resource settings. Papanicolaou, human papillomavirus (HPV), and visual inspection of cervix with acetic acid (VIA) testing, each with different characteristics, will reduce cervical cancer burden. We conducted a critical literature review using PubMed, Cochrane, WHO, and grey literature from 1994 to 2020. We examined efficacy, harms, and comparative effectiveness of screening methods by age, human immunodeficiency virus, provider characteristics, and assessed implementation challenges in low-resource settings. Comprehensive data on utility and efficacy of screening tests indicates that each screening has strengths and shortcomings but all confer acceptable performance. HPV and VIA appear more promising. Primary HPV test-and-treat, self-testing, and co-testing have been studied but data on triage plans, cost, support system, implementation and sustainability is unclear in low-resource settings. HPV testing could help target subgroups of older or higher risk women. VIA offers local capacity-building and scalability. Quality VIA technique after HPV testing is still required to guide post-screening treatments. VIA competencies decline gradually with current standard trainings. Stationary cervicography improves VIA quality but isn't scalable. Affordable smartphones eliminate this barrier, enhance training through mentorship, and advance continuing education and peer-to-peer training. Smartphone-based VIA facilitates cervical image storage for patient education, health promotion, record-keeping, follow-up care, remote expert support, and quality control to improve VIA reliability and reproducibility and reduce mis-diagnoses and burden to health systems. Rather than ranking screening methods using test characteristics alone in study or higher-resource settings, we advocate for scalable strategies that maximize reliability and access and reduce cost and human resources.

A comparative study of the genotype profiles of high-risk human papillomavirus infection in male and female HIV-positive patients and their correlation with anal cytology and biopsy

INTRODUCTION

Although anal cancer is more common in women, most of the studies on the role of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection in anal squamous lesions have focused on high-risk male patients. Therefore, we compared the genotype profile and clinicopathologic correlation of hrHPV infection in human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV+) men and women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 2254 HIV+ patients (1931 men and 323 women) who had undergone anal Papanicolaou tests at our institution; 1189 of them also had follow-up biopsy data available. HPV genotyping was performed using the Roche Cobas system and correlated with the cytologic and histologic diagnosis.

RESULTS

Compared with the HIV+ men, the HIV+ women had a significantly lower rate of hrHPV infection (67.5% versus 78.5%; P < 0.0001) but a significantly higher rate of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) on anal Papanicolaou tests (4.6% versus 2.5%; P < 0.05). Other high-risk HPV (ohrHPV), as a group, is much more common than HPV16 or HPV18 in both genders. HIV+ women had significantly lower HPV16 and ohrHPV infection rates than did HIV+ men. However, the HPV18 infection rates were similar between HIV+ women and HIV+ men. For both genders, the rates of HSILs or high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN2-3) were significantly increased when coinfection of ohrHPV with either HPV16 or HPV18 was present.

CONCLUSIONS

Although both HIV+ men and HIV+ women have an increased risk of hrHPV infection, HIV+ women have different hrHPV genotype profiles and higher rates of high-grade lesions. Coinfection with different genotypes of hrHPV can significantly increase the risk of HSILs or AIN2-3 in both genders and could requires vigilant clinical and laboratory follow-up.

Screening for cervical cancer in HIV-infected women: A review of literature

Globally, the cervical cancer burden is huge, more so in low-resource countries. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection increases a woman's risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer. There is a lack of opportunistic, as well as, organized cervical cancer screening structure for HIV-positive women. A large proportion of women have invasive cervical cancer as their initial acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining illness. There is an especially high-incidence in countries where there are no organized cervical cancer prevention programs. Additionally, there are cultural, social, psychological, and system barriers that women living with HIV have to overcome when accessing healthcare services. We believe that educating women and healthcare providers regarding the need for screening, early detection, and treatment is as important as bringing about a systematic change in healthcare services to improve participation of HIV-positive women in screening for cervical cancer.

Primary HPV and Molecular Cervical Cancer Screening in US Women Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus

BACKGROUND

Primary human papillomavirus (HPV) screening (PHS) utilizes oncogenic human papillomavirus (oncHPV) testing as the initial cervical cancer screening method and typically, if positive, additional reflex-triage (eg, HPV16/18-genotyping, Pap testing). While US guidelines support PHS usage in the general population, PHS has been little studied in women living with HIV (WLWH).

METHODS

We enrolled n = 865 WLWH (323 from the Women's Interagency HIV Study [WIHS] and 542 from WIHS-affiliated colposcopy clinics). All participants underwent Pap and oncHPV testing, including HPV16/18-genotyping. WIHS WLWH who tested oncHPV[+] or had cytologic atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or worse (ASC-US+) underwent colposcopy, as did a random 21% of WLWH who were oncHPV[-]/Pap[-] (controls). Most participants additionally underwent p16/Ki-67 immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS

Mean age was 46 years, median CD4 was 592 cells/µL, 95% used antiretroviral therapy. Seventy WLWH had histologically-determined cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or greater (CIN-2+), of which 33 were defined as precancer (ie, [i] CIN-3+ or [ii] CIN-2 if concurrent with cytologic high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions [HSILs]). PHS had 87% sensitivity (Se) for precancer, 9% positive predictive value (PPV), and a 35% colposcopy referral rate (Colpo). "PHS with reflex HPV16/18-genotyping and Pap testing" had 84% Se, 16% PPV, 30% Colpo. PHS with only HPV16/18-genotyping had 24% Colpo. "Concurrent oncHPV and Pap Testing" (Co-Testing) had 91% Se, 12% PPV, 40% Colpo. p16/Ki-67 immunochemistry had the highest PPV, 20%, but 13% specimen inadequacy.

CONCLUSIONS

PHS with reflex HPV16/18-genotyping had fewer unnecessary colposcopies and (if confirmed) could be a potential alternative to Co-Testing in WLWH.

Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus in women living with HIV/AIDS in an area of Northeast Brazil

Women infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are more likely to manifest oncogenic viral infections including human papillomavirus (HPV). It was investigated the HPV prevalence, genotype distribution and HPV relationship with cervical lesions among women living with HIV in Sergipe state, Northeast Brazil. A prevalence survey was conducted including 270 HIV-infected women who attended the reference center for HIV in Sergipe from August 2014 to November 2017. Cervical samples were processed by the polymerase chain reaction for HPV-DNA detection. Among the 270 HIV-infected women, 190 (70.4%) were between 26 and 49 years old and 159 (55.6%) were coinfected with HPV. Among the coinfected women, 24 viral types were identified; 113 (72%) subjects had high-risk HPV types, and the most prevalent was HPV 16 (53/35.3%). Positive HPV status was statistically associated with having 0 to 8 years of schooling compared with ≥9 years of schooling; and have been diagnosed with HIV infection less than 5 years ago compared with more than 10 years. Cytological abnormalities were found in 13.4% (31/231) of women, most with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (16/51.6%). However, of women who had no cytological lesions or malignancy (200/86.6%), almost half were HPV DNA-positive (99/49.5%). In conclusion, the prevalence of HPV among women living with HIV in Sergipe was high. There was a high frequency of high-risk HPV infection, and a wide diversity of genotypes were detected, with HPV 16 being the most frequent.

Antiretroviral treatment for HIV infection: Swedish recommendations 2019

The Swedish Reference Group for Antiviral Therapy (RAV) published recommendations for the treatment of HIV infection in this journal most recently in 2017. An expert group under the guidance of RAV here provides updated recommendations. The most important updates in the present guidelines are the following: (a) The risk of HIV transmission through condomless sex from individuals with fully suppressed HIV viral load is effectively zero. (b) Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is recommended for groups with a high risk of HIV infection. (c) Since the last update, two new substances have been registered: bictegravir and doravirine. (d) Dual treatment may be an alternative in selected patients, using lamivudine + dolutegravir or lamivudine + boosted darunavir/atazanavir. As with previous publications, recommendations are evidence-graded in accordance with the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine. This document does not cover treatment of opportunistic infections and tumours.

Epidemiological evidence that common HPV types may be common because of their ability to evade immune surveillance: Results from the Women's Interagency HIV study

Infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16, the most oncogenic HPV type, was found to be the least affected by HIV-status and CD4 count of any of the approximately 13 oncogenic HPV types. This relative independence from host immune status has been interpreted as evidence that HPV16 may have an innate ability to avoid the effects of immunosurveillance. However, the impact of immune status on other individual HPV types has not been carefully assessed. We studied type-specific HPV infection in a cohort of 2,470 HIV-positive (HIV[+]) and 895 HIV-negative (HIV[-]) women. Semi-annually collected cervicovaginal lavages were tested for >40 HPV types. HPV type-specific prevalence ratios (PRs), incidence and clearance hazard ratios (HRs), were calculated by contrasting HPV types detected in HIV[+] women with CD4 < 200 to HIV[-] women. HPV71 and HPV16 prevalence had the weakest associations with HIV-status/CD4 count of any HPV, according to PRs. No correlations between PRs and HPV phylogeny or oncogenicity were observed. Instead, higher HPV type-specific prevalence in HIV[-] women correlated with lower PRs (ρ = -0.59; p = 0.0001). An alternative (quadratic model) statistical approach (P_HIV+ = a*P_HIV-  + b*P_HIV- ² ; R² = 0.894) found similar associations (p = 0.0005). In summary, the most prevalent HPV types in HIV[-] women were the types most independent from host immune status. These results suggest that common HPV types in HIV[-] women may have a greater ability to avoid immune surveillance than other types, which may help explain why they are common.

The Host-Microbe Interplay in Human Papillomavirus-Induced Carcinogenesis

Every year nearly half a million new cases of cervix cancer are diagnosed worldwide, making this malignancy the fourth commonest cancer in women. In 2018, more than 270,000 women died of cervix cancer globally with 85% of them being from developing countries. The majority of these cancers are caused by the infection with carcinogenic strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is also causally implicated in the development of other malignancies, including cancer of the anus, penis cancer and head and neck cancer. HPV is by far the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide, however, most infected people do not develop cancer and do not even have a persistent infection. The development of highly effective HPV vaccines against most common high-risk HPV strains is a great medical achievement of the 21st century that could prevent up to 90% of cervix cancers. In this article, we review the current understanding of the balanced virus-host interaction that can lead to either virus elimination or the establishment of persistent infection and ultimately malignant transformation. We also highlight the influence of certain factors inherent to the host, including the immune status, genetic variants and the coexistence of other microbe infections and microbiome composition in the dynamic of HPV infection induced carcinogenesis.

Human Papillomavirus Infection and Cervical Cancer in HIV+ Women

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the first identified necessary cause of human cancers and is associated with nearly 100% of all cervical cancers. Compared to the general female populations, HIV+ women have higher prevalence and incidence of cervical HPV infections, higher risks of persistent HPV infections and subsequent cervical intraepithelial lesions, and a higher incidence of cervical cancer. Although the wide use of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has improved the immune function and the longevity of HIV+ women, the incidence of cervical cancer in HIV+ women has not declined. For HIV+ women who follow routine cervical cancer screenings, their incidence of cervical cancer is comparable to that in HIV-negative women. Thus, adherence to the recommended cervical cancer screening is still critical for HIV+ women to prevent cervical cancer. Prophylactic HPV vaccines may also benefit HIV+ women, but prospective studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of HPV vaccination on reducing cervical cancer incidence in HIV+ women.

Racial differences in human papilloma virus types amongst United States women with HIV and cervical precancer

OBJECTIVE

Recent studies reported a lower human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) prevalence in cervical precancer among African American than Caucasian women in the general population. We assessed this relationship in women with HIV.

DESIGN

Women living with or at risk for HIV in the Women's Interagency HIV Study were followed semi-annually with Pap tests, colposcopy/histology (if indicated), and collection of cervicovaginal lavage samples for HPV testing by PCR. Racial and ethnic groups were defined using genomic Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs).

RESULTS

Among 175 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3 or worse (CIN-3+), 154 were diagnosed in women with HIV. African American (27%) and Hispanic (37%) cases were significantly less likely than Caucasian (62%) women to test positive for HPV16 (P = 0.01). In multivariate logistic regression models, these associations remained significant for African Americans (odds ratio = 0.13; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04-0.44; P = 0.001) but not Hispanics, after controlling for HIV status, CD4 count, history of AIDS, age, smoking, and sexual behavior. Limiting the analysis to women with HIV did not change the findings.

CONCLUSION

HPV16 prevalence is lower in African American compared with Caucasian women with HIV and cervical precancer, independent of immune status. Future studies to determine why these racial differences exist are warranted, and whether there are similar associations between race and invasive cervical cancer in women with HIV. Further, HPV types not covered by quadrivalent and bivalent vaccines may play an especially important role in cervical precancer among HIV-positive African American women, a possible advantage to using nonavalent HPV vaccine in this population.

Incident genital HPV infections and potential impact of HPV vaccines in adult women living with HIV/AIDS

This study aims to describe and characterize incident HR-HPV infections and associated diseases in HIV-infected women. 805 HIV-infected women enrolled in the VALHIDATE Study were screened and followed-up for HPV by co-testing. Social, behavioral and health data were collected. HPV-DNA positive samples were typed using a commercial kit or RFLP analysis. Conventional Pap-smears were evaluated using the 2001 Bethesda System. The participants with abnormal cytological results were referred for colposcopy. 565 HIV-infected women (median age: 43 years) were analysed, 40.9% had >5 lifetime sexual partners, 77.2% contracted HIV through sexual intercourse, 93% were receiving antiretroviral treatment and 77.3% had undetectable HIV-RNA. The women underwent 1254 follow-ups (median follow-up: 33 months) for 1430.6 PersonYear-Follow-Up. 37.4% of baseline HPV-negative women acquired incident HPV-infections, 69.6% of which were HR-HPVs. HPV-53 was the most common HPV type detected (9.3%). 18.2% of women showed incident or progressive cytological abnormalities (7.8% ASC-US, 9.7% LSIL and 0.6% HSIL) and colposcopy revealed CIN2 (N = 2), CIN1 (N = 2) and VIN3 (N = 1). The preventable fraction of incident infections was 11.3%, 16.7%, and 35.2% for the 2v-4v-9v-HPV vaccines respectively (χ² p < 0.0001). The overall burden of incident lesions attributable to the vaccine types were 9.1% for 2v-, 14.5% for 4v- and 30.9% for 9v-vaccine. High HPV incidence rates and high percentages of multiple HR-HPV infections were observed in a cohort of HIV-infected women receiving effective antiretroviral treatment. Primary prevention strategies based on the new 9v-HPV vaccine may help to prevent incident infections and disease progression in this cohort of women.

Cervical cancer screening among HIV-infected women in an urban, United States safety-net healthcare system

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about cervical cancer screening and results patterns among HIV-infected (HIV+) women in real-world healthcare settings. We characterized two periods of screening opportunity.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort.

SETTING

US safety-net healthcare system in Dallas County, Texas.

PARTICIPANTS

We analyzed data from electronic medical records (EMR) of 1490 HIV+ women receiving care 2010-2014.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

At baseline, we categorized a woman's Pap status 15 months prior to index date as under-screened (vs. screened), and cytology result (normal vs. abnormal). Then, we examined screening completion and results, and colposcopy uptake and results after an abnormal screen, in the subsequent 15-month period.

RESULTS

More than half of women (56%) had no evidence of a Pap test (i.e. under-screened) at baseline. Under-screened women were more likely to be older (50-64 years), have diabetes, and unknown viral load; they were less likely to be Black, Hispanic, have Medicaid, recently pregnant, have a HIV clinic visit, or a CD4 cell count at least 200 cells/μl. Nearly half of under-screened women (46%, n = 383) remained under-screened in the subsequent 15 months. Among women under-screened at baseline who later completed screening and follow-up during the study period, 21 high-grade dysplasia and three cancers were diagnosed. Overall, 40% of women did not receive colposcopy when needed, with most failures to follow-up occurring in women who were under-screened at baseline.

CONCLUSION

Most HIV+ women receiving care in a safety-net system did not receive sufficient screening for cervical cancer and remained at exceptionally high risk of developing high-grade dysplasia.

Colpocytological abnormalities in HIV infected and uninfected pregnant women: prevalence, persistence and progression

In this retrospective case-control study, we analyse data of 48 HIV-positive pregnant patients, versus a control group of 99 HIV-negative pregnant women, followed as outpatients by our department from 2009 to 2014. The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence, persistence and progression of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) in each group and to correlate colpo-cytological lesions to the socio-demographic and clinical-laboratory findings in the HIV + pregnant women. In our study we observed that immunosuppression, HPV infection and vaginal coinfections were predictive of cervical lesions. Pap smear and colposcopy should be part of routine care for HIV-infected pregnant women because these lesions behave aggressively in these patients. Success of prevention depends on massive access of patients to screening. HAART reduces viral load and maintains CD4 count and can affect progression of SIL. Multidisciplinary services on the same site appear to be one promising strategy to improve compliance in patients. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject: Our study provided novel information on a highly vulnerable population of young HIV + pregnant women. What the results of this study add: We observed that immunosuppression, HPV infection and vaginal coinfections were predictive of cervical lesions remarkable with colposcopy. We could consider these important risk factors to evaluate to establish an appropriate strategy of management for these patients. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research: Association of the risk between SIL presence and HIV and HPV infection also deserves additional investigation. We believe that Pap smears and colposcopies should be part of the routine care for HIV-infected women because these lesions behave particularly aggressively in these patients.

Screening for Cancer in Persons Living with HIV Infection

Survival with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has greatly improved due to effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). As infectious complications have declined, malignancy now accounts for over one-third of deaths among people living with HIV (PLWH). Based on practices in the general population, cancer screening of PLWH can decrease both morbidity and mortality. In this article, we review and consider directed approaches for colorectal, breast, cervical and lung cancer screening. Furthermore, routine physical examinations may detect lymphomas and skin, anal and oral cancers. Comprehensive cancer prevention in PLWH should also include ART adherence, vaccination against oncogenic viruses, treatment of hepatitis viruses and smoking cessation. Cancer screening for PLWH warrants further research on safety and efficacy as well as targeted efforts to increase adherence.

Cervical Human Papillomavirus genotypes in HIV-infected women: a cross-sectional analysis of the VALHIDATE study

Introduction

Primary-prevention by prophylactic vaccination against HPV-related cancers and HPV-based screening programs are based on HPV-type distribution in immunocompetent individuals. HIV-infected women are at high risk of invasive HPV-disease sustained by a broader range of HPV-types and have higher multi-type infection rates than immunocompetent hosts.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional analysis of High Risk HPV (HR HPV) type distribution in 805 HIV+ women (HIW) compared with a control group of 1402 immunocompetent HIV- women (SPW) enrolled in the VALHIDATE study in order to define HPV type-specific distribution according to cytology.

Results

HIW had a 3.8, 3.6, and 2.7 times higher risk of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) and high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) than SPW respectively. HPV-DNA prevalence was 28.4% in HIW and 11.81% in SPW (p<0.0001). The prevalence of infection increased from normal cytology to HSIL both in HIW (from 21.45% to 90.91%) and SPW (from 9.54% to 75%). The OR for women with normal cytology of having a positive HPV-DNA test result of was 2.6 times higher in HIW than in SPW. The cumulative prevalence of HPV-16/18 in HSIL is much lower in HIW (36.4±28.4) than SPW (62.5±33.5).

Conclusions

A higher prevalence of infection and broader HPV type distribution were observed in HIV+ women compared to the general population. More than 60% of HSIL lesions of HIW patients are caused by single or multi-type infections from non-HPV16/18 HPVs. The potential 9v-HPV vaccine coverage could be even higher than that expected for the general population given the wide panel of HPV-types observed in the HSIL of HIV+ women.

Hybrid capture as a tool for cervical lesions screening in HIV-infected women: insights from a Brazilian cohort

Introduction

Cervical cancer remains an important burden for HIV-infected women in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy. Recommendations for cervical screening in these women diverge and may include high-risk HPV (HRHPV) testing. We aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a single HRHPV testing for cervical screening of HIV-infected women.

Methods

723 HIV-infected women from a Brazilian prospective cohort were included between 1996 and 2012. Inclusion criteria were: normal cervical cytology at baseline and having a HRHPV-test at baseline. We calculated incidence rates of any squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) and high grade SIL+ (HSIL+) and negative predictive values (NPV) within 12 and 36 months. Hazard Ratios were obtained using Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results

Incidence rate for both outcomes was low (9.9 cases per 100 PY [95% CI 8.8–11.0] for any SIL and 1.3 cases per 100 PY [95% IC 0.9–1.8] for HSIL+). Women with a HRHPV positive status at baseline had 1.7-fold (95% CI 1.3–2.2) and 3.2-fold (95% CI 1.5–7.1) increased risk of presenting any SIL and HSIL+, respectively, during follow-up. Negative-HRHPV test presented high NPV for both periods and outcomes (any SIL: 92.4% [95% CI 89.7–94.6] for 12 months and 80.9% [95% CI 77.2–84.3] for 36 months; and HSIL+: 99.8% [95% CI 98.9–100.0] for 12 months and 99.0 [95% CI 97.6–99.7] for 36 months).

Conclusions

Incidence of any and high grade cytological abnormality was significantly higher among HIV-infected women with positive-HRHPV test. A single negative-HRHPV test helped reassure follow-up free of cytological abnormalities through three years of follow-up in HIV-infected women with negative cytology.

Predictors of HPV incidence and clearance in a cohort of Brazilian HIV-infected women

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is necessary for the development of precursor lesions and cervical cancer. HPV infection among women living with HIV/AIDS (WLHA) occurs more frequently, presents a higher rate of persistent infections and an earlier progression to cancer. We aimed to evaluate HR-HPV prevalence, incidence and clearance, and its association with HIV viral suppression, immunological response and other risk factors among WLHA followed at an STD/HIV reference center. This was a cohort study conducted at a reference center for STD/AIDS in Northeastern Brazil from September 2013 to September 2015. Follow-up visits were conducted at 6 and 12 months after enrolment, where socio-epidemiological data were obtained. Cervical samples were collected for conventional cytology and HPV DNA research (PCR COBAS® Roche) in addition to blood samples for CD4+ T lymphocyte count and HIV viral load. We prospectively evaluated 333 women. HR-HPV DNA prevalence was 33.3% at baseline. HPV-16 was present in 5.1%, HPV-18 in 3.9% and 29.4% WLHA had other HR-HPV (31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66 and 68). The HR-HPV incidence during the follow-up was 10.8%, at the 6-month visit was 7.7% and at the 12-month visit was 3.7%. Variables associated with HR-HPV incidence were: nulliparity, combined oral contraceptive use and detectable HIV viral load. The HR-HPV clearance rate was 41.7% and was associated with age >30 years and lymphocyte T CD4 count >500 cells/mm3 at enrolment. These findings contribute to the knowledge about a group of women that need more careful HPV screening and describe the association between an efficient immunological response and HIV viral suppression with lower incidence and increased clearance of HR-HPV.

High-risk papillomavirus infection among women living with human Immunodeficiency virus: Brazilian multicentric study

Cervical cancer is an important health issue in Latin America. Although HPV infections can have spontaneous clearance, persistence of high-risk (HR) HPV is a risk factor for cervical cancer among women and it is even higher in HIV-infected women. To determine the prevalence of HR-HPV and risk factors among HIV-infected women attending reference services for HIV/AIDS in different regions of Brazil. Cross-sectional study conducted among HIV-infected women attended at referral care centers for HIV/AIDS in nine states of Brazil. Women from 18 to 49 years that accept to participate and were not pregnant at the time of the approach were recruited for the study. The HPV screening was realized using qPCR in closed system, in vitro Diagnostic, COBAS^® -HPV Roche. The cytology results were available by the Bethesda System. A total of 802(89.1%) from the selected women agreed to participate in the study. Median age was 39(Inter quartile range [IQR34-46]) years and median education was 9(IQR6-11) years. General prevalence of HR-HPV was 28.4%(228/802). HPV-16 prevalence rate was 8.1%(65/802), HPV-18 was 3.7%(30/802) and other types of HR-HPV were 23.6% (189/802). Risk factors for HR-HPV infection in the multivariate logistic regression analysis were: age ranging from 18 to 34 years (OR = 1.43[95%CI:1.18-1.75]), illicit drugs use (OR = 1.61[95%CI:1.10-2.42]) and abnormal cervical cytology (OR = 1.56[95%CI:1.34-1.81]). Results showed a prevalence rate of 28.4% of HR-HPV infection in women living with HIV in Brazil. These infections were significantly associated with having less than 35 years old, illicit drug use and abnormal cervical cytology.

Carcinogenicity of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Types in HIV-Positive Women: A Meta-Analysis From HPV Infection to Cervical Cancer

Background

Data on the relative carcinogenic potential of human papillomavirus (HPV) types among women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (WHIV) are needed to inform prevention programs for this population.

Methods

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of high-risk HPV-type distribution in 19883 HIV-positive women was performed. The women, from 86 studies worldwide, included 11739 with normal cytological findings; 1784 with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS); 2173 with low-grade and 1282 with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) diagnosed cytologically; 1198 with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN1), 456 with CIN2, and 455 with CIN3 diagnosed histologically; and 796 with invasive cervical cancers (ICCs). A large proportion of WHIV, and almost all with ICCs, were from Africa.

Results

In Africa, HPV 16 accounted for 13% of HPV-positive WHIV with normal cytological findings, but this proportion increased through ASCUS, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, CIN1, and CIN2 (18%-25%), up to 41%-47% for CIN3 and ICCs. Only HPV 16, HPV 18, and HPV 45 accounted for a greater proportion of HPV infections in ICCs compared with normal cytological findings (ICC:normal ratios, 3.68, 2.47, and 2.55, respectively). Other high-risk types accounted for important proportions of low- and/or high-grade lesions, but their contribution dropped in ICCs, with ICC:normal ratios in Africa ranging from 0.79 for HPV 33 down to 0.38 for HPV 56. Findings for HPV 16 and HPV 18 in Europe/North America, Asia, and Latin America were compatible with those from Africa.

Conclusions

HPV 16 and HPV 18 in particular, but also HPV 45, at least in Africa, warrant special attention in WHIV. Broad consistency of findings with those in HIV-uninfected population would suggest that the risk stratification offered by partial HPV genotyping tests also have relevance for HIV-positive women.

Cervical cancer screening intervals and management for women living with HIV: a risk benchmarking approach

OBJECTIVE

We suggested cervical cancer screening strategies for women living with HIV (WLHIV) by comparing their precancer risks to general population women, and then compared our suggestions with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.

DESIGN

We compared risks of biopsy-confirmed cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia or worse (bHSIL+), calculated among WLHIV in the Women's Interagency HIV Study, to 'risk benchmarks' for specific management strategies in the general population.

METHODS

We applied parametric survival models among 2423 WLHIV with negative or atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance (ASC-US) cytology during 2000-2015. Separately, we synthesized published general population bHSIL+ risks to generate 3-year risk benchmarks for a 3-year return (after negative cytology, i.e. 'rescreening threshold'), a 6-12-month return (after ASC-US), and immediate colposcopy [after low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL)].

RESULTS

Average 3-year bHSIL+ risks among general population women ('risk benchmarks') were 0.69% for a 3-year return (after negative cytology), 8.8% for a 6-12-month return (after ASC-US), and 14.4% for colposcopy (after LSIL). Most CDC guidelines for WLHIV were supported by comparing risks in WLHIV to these benchmarks, including a 3-year return with CD4 greater than 500 cells/μl and after either three negative cytology tests or a negative cytology/oncogenic human papillomavirus cotest (all 3-year risks≤1.3%); a 1-year return after negative cytology with either positive oncogenic human papillomavirus cotest (1-year risk = 1.0%) or CD4 cell count less than 500 cells/μl (1-year risk = 1.1%); and a 6-12-month return after ASC-US (3-year risk = 8.2% if CD4 cell count at least 500 cells/μl; 10.4% if CD4 cell count = 350-499 cells/μl). Other suggestions differed modestly from current guidelines, including colposcopy (vs. 6-12 month return) for WLHIV with ASC-US and CD4 cell count less than 350 cells/μl (3-year risk = 16.4%) and a lengthened 2-year (vs. 1-year) interval after negative cytology with CD4 cell count at least 500 cells/μl (2-year risk = 0.98%).

CONCLUSIONS

Current cervical cancer screening guidelines for WLHIV are largely appropriate. CD4 cell count may inform risk-tailored strategies.

The high prevalence of HPV and HPV16 European variants in cervical and anal samples of HIV-seropositive women with normal Pap test results

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-seropositive women are more likely to have anogenital cancer, and high risk-HPV (HR-HPV) infection is the main associated factor. Between August 2013 and December 2015, we conducted a descriptive study to determine the HPV genotypes and HPV16 variants in cervical and anal samples of HIV-seropositive women with a normal Pap test. The viral DNA was amplified by PCR using the PGMY09/11 set of primers. Reverse line blot (RLB), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing assays were used to determine the HPV genotypes. HPV16 variants were identified by gene sequencing. We found a high frequency of HR-HPV (60.3%; 76/126) at the anogenital site among HIV-seropositive women and without association with anal intercourse. HPV16 and European variant predominated among the HR-HPV. Mixed infections with at least three different HPV types were common, particularly at the anal site. CD4+ T-cell counts below 500 cells/mm³, a HIV viral load above 50 copies/mL and an age of 18 to 35 years old were all related to HPV anal infection. Our study showed a high frequency of HR-HPV in both cervical and anal sites of women with negative cytology belonging to a risk group for the development of anogenital cancer.

Human Papillomavirus Co-Testing Results Effectively Triage Normal Cervical Cytology in HIV-Positive Women Aged 30 Years and Older

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to assess whether HIV-positive (HIV+) women aged 30 years and older with concurrent normal cervical cytology and undetectable cervical HPV have a low 3-year risk of developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or higher (CIN 2+) in a clinical setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective chart review of HIV+ women aged 30 years and older at a single institution with normal cervical cytology and concurrent human papillomavirus (HPV) testing between November 2008 and December 2010. The participants were stratified by initial HPV testing results and followed to either the study end point (CIN 2+) or until the last cervical cytology or colposcopy before January 2015. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to analyze CIN 2+ diagnosis for follow-up with log-rank testing of the null hypothesis. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to calculate crude and adjusted hazard ratios controlling for ethnicity and CD4 levels.

RESULTS

We identified 325 HIV+ women with normal cytology and follow-up; 66 (20%) of these women had detectable HPV. The cumulative diagnosis of CIN 2+ at 4 years was significantly lower in the HPV-negative cohort compared with the HPV-positive cohort (1.4%, 95% CI = 0.3%-4.6% vs 14.5%, 95% CI = 5.8%-27.1%), respectively; the median duration to CIN 2+ diagnosis was longer in the HPV-negative cohort compared with the HPV-positive cohort (4.2 years vs 1.5 years, respectively, p < .02).

CONCLUSIONS

HIV+ women aged 30 years and older with concurrent normal cervical cytology and undetectable cervical HPV have a low 3-year risk of subsequent diagnosis of CIN 2+. The study validates the recently updated US recommendations for the use of co-testing in screening HIV+ women.

Antiretroviral treatment for HIV infection: Swedish recommendations 2016

The Swedish Medical Products Agency and the Swedish Reference Group for Antiviral Therapy (RAV) have jointly published recommendations for the treatment of HIV infection on seven previous occasions (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2014). In February 2016, an expert group under the guidance of RAV once more revised the guidelines. The most important updates in the present guidelines are as follows: Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) has recently been registered. TAF has several advantages over tenofovir disoproxilfumarate (TDF) and is recommended instead of TDF in most cases. First-line treatment for previously untreated individuals includes dolutegravir, boosted darunavir or efavirenz with either abacavir/lamivudine or tenofovir (TDF/TAF)/emtricitabine. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is recommended for high-risk individuals. As in the case of the previous publication, recommendations are evidence-graded in accordance with the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine ( http://www.cebm.net/oxford-centre-evidence-based-medicine-levels-evidence-march-2009/ ) ( Table 1 ). This document does not cover treatment of opportunistic infections and tumours. [Table: see text].

The High-Risk Human Papillomavirus E6 Oncogene Exacerbates the Negative Effect of Tryptophan Starvation on the Development of Chlamydia trachomatis

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that requires specific essential nutrients from the host cell, one of which is the amino acid tryptophan. In this context interferon gamma (IFNγ) is the major host protective cytokine against chlamydial infections because it induces the expression of the host enzyme, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1, that degrades tryptophan, thereby restricting bacterial replication. The mechanism by which IFNγ acts has been dissected in vitro using epithelial cell-lines such as HeLa, HEp-2, or the primary-like endocervical cell-line A2EN. All these cell-lines express the high-risk human papillomavirus oncogenes E6 & E7. While screening cell-lines to identify those suitable for C. trachomatis co-infections with other genital pathogens, we unexpectedly found that tryptophan starvation did not completely block chlamydial development in cell-lines that were HR-HPV negative, such as C33A and 293. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that HR-HPV oncogenes modulate the effect of tryptophan starvation on chlamydial development by comparing chlamydial development in HeLa and C33A cell-lines that were both derived from cervical carcinomas. Our results indicate that during tryptophan depletion, unlike HeLa, C33A cells generate sufficient intracellular tryptophan via proteasomal activity to permit C. trachomatis replication. By generating stable derivatives of C33A that expressed HPV16 E6, E7 or E6 & E7, we found that E6 expression alone was sufficient to convert C33A cells to behave like HeLa during tryptophan starvation. The reduced tryptophan levels in HeLa cells have a biological consequence; akin to the previously described effect of IFNγ, tryptophan starvation protects C. trachomatis from clearance by doxycycline in HeLa but not C33A cells. Curiously, when compared to the known Homo sapiens proteome, the representation of tryptophan in the HR-HPV E6 & E6AP degradome is substantially lower, possibly providing a mechanism that underlies the lowered intracellular free tryptophan levels in E6-expressing cells during starvation.

Performance of p16INK4a ELISA as a primary cervical cancer screening test among a large cohort of HIV-infected women in western Kenya: a 2-year cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

A biomarker with increased specificity for cervical dysplasia compared with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing would be an attractive option for cervical cancer screening among HIV-infected women in resource-limited settings. p16(INK4a) has been explored as a biomarker for screening in general populations.

DESIGN

A 2-year cross-sectional study.

SETTING

2 large HIV primary care clinics in western Kenya.

PARTICIPANTS

1054 HIV-infected women in western Kenya undergoing cervical cancer screening as part of routine HIV care from October 2010 to November 2012.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants underwent p16(INK4a) specimen collection and colposcopy. Lesions with unsatisfactory colposcopy or suspicious for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ (CIN2+; including CIN2/3 or invasive cervical cancer) were biopsied. Following biopsy, disease status was determined by histopathological diagnosis.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

We measured the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of p16(INK4a) ELISA for CIN2+ detection among HIV-infected women and compared them to the test characteristics of current screening methods used in general as well as HIV-infected populations.

RESULTS

Average p16(INK4a) concentration in cervical samples was 37.4 U/mL. After colposcopically directed biopsy, 127 (12%) women were determined to have CIN2+. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.664 for p16(INK4a) to detect biopsy-proven CIN2+. At a p16(INK4a) cut-off level of 9 U/mL, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 89.0%, 22.9%, 13.6% and 93.8%, respectively. The overall p16(INK4a) positivity at a cut-off level of 9 U/mL was 828 (78.6%) women. There were 325 (30.8%) cases of correct p16(INK4a) prediction to detect or rule out CIN2+, and 729 (69.2%) cases of incorrect p16(INK4a) prediction.

CONCLUSIONS

p16(INK4a) ELISA did not perform well as a screening test for CIN2+ detection among HIV-infected women due to low specificity. Our study contributes to the ongoing search for a more specific alternative to HPV testing for CIN2+ detection.

[Feasibility of cervical smear in HIV-positive women living in Chad]

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancerrelated death in Sub-Saharan African women. HIV-infected women are at increased risk for cervical intraepithelial lesions and invasive cervical cancer. WHO guidelines for screening and treatment of precancerous cervical lesions are regularly actualized. There are no data on cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions in Chad. Between August 2013 and May 2015, screening for cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions was proposed to HIV-infected women living in Moundou (Chad). Cytology examination was performed after with Papanicolaou coloration. Three hundred and eleven HIV-seropositive women accepted the screening without refusal. Mean age of the patients was 38 years (95% Confidence Interval: 37.7-39.9). The women declared a mean of 4.1 pregnancies (range: 0-12). The patients had been followed-up for their seropositivity for 8 years (range: 0-25). All were on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Of the patients whose results were known (N = 231), 98% had a CD4 lymphocyte nadir count less than 350/mm(3). Cytological results were as follows: normal smear (N = 59; 19%), inflammatory or hemorrhagic smear (N = 139; 44%), low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (N = 58; 19%), high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (N = 28; 9%), epidermoid carcinoma (N = 13; 4%), and uninterpretable smear (N = 14; 5%). The inflammatory lesions were due to cervicitis (N = 54), vaginosis (N = 22), and trichomonas infection (N = 3). The patients' age, CD4 lymphocyte nadir count, and CD4 count at the time of the cervical smear were not different according to the cytological results. Only five patients had a cone biopsy. Three patients deceased during the study of whom two from a gynaecological cancer diagnosed too late. The screening of dysplasia and cervical cancer in HIV-seropositive women is possible in Chad. In our study, 13% of the women had highgrade dysplasia or carcinoma needing curative care. We also showed that simple cytology did not permit the interpretation of half of the smears. The performance of cervical smear would have increased if it had been preceded by the visualization of the cervix with coloration.

Screening for Human Papillomavirus-Associated Cervical Disease in HIV-Infected Women

HIV-infected women have higher rates of persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, of abnormal cervical cytology results, and of cervical cancer than uninfected women. It is currently recommended that HIV-infected, sexually active women have a Papanicolaou (Pap) test performed at the time of initial diagnosis of HIV infection, followed by annual Pap testing if the previous test result is normal. Women whose test results show abnormalities greater than atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) should be referred for colposcopy. Those with ASCUS should undergo immediate colposcopy or repeat cervical cytology in 6 months to 12 months, and those whose repeat cervical cytology results show ASCUS or greater abnormalities should undergo colposcopy. Recent findings indicate that screening intervals can be lengthened for HIV-infected women whose Pap test results are persistently normal and who are engaged in routine care, and that HPV DNA testing may have a role in screening. This article summarizes a presentation by Marla J. Keller, MD, at the IAS-USA continuing education program, Improving the Management of HIV Disease, held in Atlanta, Georgia, in March 2015.