Increased alpha-9 human papillomavirus species viral load in human immunodeficiency virus positive women
Journal Article
2014-01-31
Permanent link to this Item
Authors
Journal Title
BMC Infectious Diseases
Link to Journal
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Publisher
University of Cape Town
Faculty
Series
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Persistent high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and increased HR-HPV viral load are associated with the development of cancer. This study investigated the effect of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection, HIV viral load and CD4 count on the HR-HPV viral load; and also investigated the predictors of cervical abnormalities.
Methods
Participants were 292 HIV-negative and 258 HIV-positive women. HR-HPV viral loads in cervical cells were determined by the real-time polymerase chain reaction.
Results
HIV-positive women had a significantly higher viral load for combined alpha-9 HPV species compared to HIV-negative women (median 3.9 copies per cell compared to 0.63 copies per cell, P = 0.022). This was not observed for individual HPV types. HIV-positive women with CD4 counts >350/μl had significantly lower viral loads for alpha-7 HPV species (median 0.12 copies per cell) than HIV-positive women with CD4 ≤350/μl (median 1.52 copies per cell, P = 0.008), but low CD4 count was not significantly associated with increased viral load for other HPV species. High viral loads for alpha-6, alpha-7 and alpha-9 HPV species were significant predictors of abnormal cytology in women.
Conclusion
HIV co-infection significantly increased the combined alpha-9 HPV viral load in women but not viral loads for individual HPV types. High HR-HPV viral load was associated with cervical abnormal cytology.
Description
Reference:
Mbulawa, Z. Z., Johnson, L. F., Marais, D. J., Gustavsson, I., Moodley, J. R., Coetzee, D., ... & Williamson, A. L. (2014). Increased alpha-9 human papillomavirus species viral load in human immunodeficiency virus positive women. BMC infectious diseases, 14(1), 51.