%0 Journal Article
%T Betapapillomaviruses in the anal canal of HIV positive and HIV negative men who have sex with men.
%A Mlakar B
%A Kocjan BJ
%A Hošnjak L
%A Fujs Komloš K
%A Milošević M
%A Poljak M
%J J Clin Virol
%V 61
%N 2
%D Oct 2014
%M 25097015
%F 14.481
%R 10.1016/j.jcv.2014.07.009
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Betapapillomaviruses (β-PV) are etiologically associated with epidermodysplasia verruciformis and a proportion of skin precancerous lesions and cancer, mainly in immunocompromised individuals.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>The prevalence and persistence of anal β-PV infection and β-PV type distribution were determined in a cohort of men who have sex with men (MSM). A correlation with HIV-1 infection status and selected demographic and behavioral risk factors were additionally established.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>A total of 181 anal swabs (135 initial and 46 follow-up swabs) obtained from 135 Slovenian MSMs (17.0% HIV-1 positive) were tested for the presence of 25 different β-PV types using Diassay RHA Kit Skin (beta) HPV assay and, if negative, with an in-house nested M(a)/H(a) PCR.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>β-PVs were detected in 88/135 (65.2%) initial anal swabs. Infection with multiple β-PV types was found in 26 samples; the number of β-PVs ranged from 2 to 9. A total of 29 distinct β-PVs were detected: HPV-36 and HPV-38 were the most prevalent, followed by HPV-23, HPV-24, and HPV-93. HIV-1 positive status, promiscuity and use of alkyl nitrites were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of anal β-PV infection. Three partial DNA sequences suggesting putative new HPV types were identified.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate and characterize β-PV infections in the anal region. We showed that anal β-PV infection is highly prevalent in the MSM population and that β-PVs can establish persistent infection in the anal region for up to 4.8 years.