OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative patients engaging in promiscuous behaviors and anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cytology. METHODS: Fifty-six HIV-positive patients and 49 HIV-negative patients who engaged in sexually promiscuous behavior were enrolled in the study. We performed cytological exams using the Pap smear and PCR for HPV-DNA detection, with identification of oncogenic strains. The 2001 Bethesda System terminology was used for the cytological exams. We also evaluated the immunologic status of the HIV-infected patients. RESULTS: PCR positivity for HPV-DNA was higher in the group of HIV-positive patients than in the group of HIV-negative patients with a statistically significant difference. In contrast we did not find any statistically significant difference by cytological exam. Oncogenic strains were equally distributed in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate the importance of the cytological exam for anal HPV screening in the population at high risk of sexually transmitted disease and that HPV-DNA PCR can be used only as adjunct test.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative patients engaging in promiscuous behaviors and anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cytology. METHODS: Fifty-six HIV-positivepatients and 49 HIV-negative patients who engaged in sexually promiscuous behavior were enrolled in the study. We performed cytological exams using the Pap smear and PCR for HPV-DNA detection, with identification of oncogenic strains. The 2001 Bethesda System terminology was used for the cytological exams. We also evaluated the immunologic status of the HIV-infectedpatients. RESULTS: PCR positivity for HPV-DNA was higher in the group of HIV-positivepatients than in the group of HIV-negative patients with a statistically significant difference. In contrast we did not find any statistically significant difference by cytological exam. Oncogenic strains were equally distributed in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate the importance of the cytological exam for anal HPV screening in the population at high risk of sexually transmitted disease and that HPV-DNA PCR can be used only as adjunct test.