Warts and wart virus antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Cutaneous papillomavirus infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus. A case-control study

Previous studies informed an increased prevalence of cutaneous papillomavirus (cHPV) infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The main objective of our study was to evaluate factors associated with cHPV infection in patients with either rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or SLE, and to determine whether SLE itself is an independent risk factor for cHPV infection. We included 670 patients (in consecutive selection) in this cross-sectional study (550 with RA and 120 with SLE). All patients were evaluated by a dermatologist; patients with cHPV infection were selected as cases (63) and the other 607 patients were selected as controls. The prevalence of cHPV infection was increased 2.8-fold in SLE patients (20%) compared with RA patients (7.1%). When comparing cases with controls, bivariate analysis showed statistically significant differences for: age, having SLE, and treatment with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). When all of the potential risk factors identified using bivariate analysis (age, having SLE, and MMF) were included into a multivariate model, independent risk factors for cHPV infection were: having SLE (odds ratio: 2.16, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-4.48) and MMF therapy (odds ratio: 2.91, 95% confidence interval: 1.18-7.14).

High risk of human papillomavirus type 16 infections and of development of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

OBJECTIVE

To determine rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, abnormal cervical smears, and squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) among women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

We investigated 30 women with SLE, 67 with abnormal smears from colposcopy clinics, and 15 community subjects with normal smears. Polymerase chain reaction results for viral DNA and HPV-16 sequencing data were correlated to cytology and colposcopic findings.

RESULTS

SLE and colposcopy patients were more likely (P < 0.05) to be HPV positive (15 [54%] and 37 [67%] patients, respectively) and HPV-16 DNA positive (16 [57%] and 17 [31%] patients, respectively) than community subjects (0% HPV DNA positive and 1 [6%] HPV-16 DNA positive). SLE patients were also more likely to be HPV-16 DNA positive than colposcopy patients (P < 0.05). SLE patients with a high HPV-16 viral load more frequently had SIL (n = 6) than those with a low HPV-16 viral load (n = 1; P < 0.05). HPV and HPV-16 DNA positivity were not associated with previous or current drug therapy for SLE patients. All HPV-16 DNA sequences from 6 SLE and 5 colposcopy patients were the European-type variant. Eighteen (60%) SLE patients had a previous or current cervical abnormality. At the time of study, 5 (17%) SLE patients had an abnormal cervical smear and 8 (27%) had SIL. For those diagnosed with SLE for >10 years, the rate of SIL was 44% lower than those with SLE for <5 years (odds ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.1-3.5).

CONCLUSION

UK women with a recent SLE diagnosis had disturbingly elevated levels of HPV infections (particularly with European HPV-16 variants at a high viral load), abnormal cervical cytology, and SIL.

Infection in systemic lupus erythematosus

The improved survival of SLE patients since the 1950s is the result of not only better treatment, but also supportive treatment of renal failure and the wealth of antibiotics now available. Ironically, the wider use of immunosuppressives, especially the alkylating drugs, and the longer survival of patients with renal insufficiency and renal failure have made the identification and appropriate treatment of infection in SLE an ongoing challenge.

Warts and lupus erythematosus

The human papilloma virus is implicated in causing several diseases, ranging from the common wart to malignancy. We describe a high prevalence of cutaneous warts in lupus erythematosus. The presence of warts did not correlate with the taking of immunosuppressive drugs. This observation suggests that there is a primary immunological defect among patients with lupus erythematosus. We found this high rate among patients with discoid as well as systemic lupus erythematosus. We found no correlation between the prevalence of cutaneous warts and cervical dysplasia, or malignancy. Discoid lupus erythematosus is often considered to be a different disease from systemic lupus erythematosus, running a more benign course. The high prevalence of cutaneous warts in both conditions highlights yet another similarity between these two diseases.

Clearing of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus around molluscum contagiosum lesions

A patient with widespread subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) developed halos of uninflamed, normal-appearing skin around lesions of molluscum contagiosum. A biopsy confirmed the lack of active lupus erythematosus (LE) in the halo area (neither basal layer liquefaction nor inflammatory infiltrate was present). Direct immunofluorescence of the halo area showed only weak staining with IgG and C3. In contrast, adjacent skin, clinically involved with cutaneous LE, showed both active LE by light microscopy and strong staining with IgG and C3. We feel the molluscum contagiosum lesions that developed in areas of active SCLE somehow suppressed the clinical, histologic, and immunologic expression of SCLE in he surrounding skin. This observation might offer some insight into the poorly understood pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in cutaneous LE.