Sexually transmitted infections and cervicovaginal dysplasia in a cohort of human immunodeficiency virus-positive women in Turin
Pugliese, A.; Saini, A.; Andronico, L.; Pagliano, G.; Gallo, G.
Cancer Detection and Prevention 25(1): 32-39
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0361-090X PMID: 11270419 Document Number: 532518
The correlation between sexually transmitted infections and cervicovaginal dysplasia has been evaluated in a cohort of 135 women who tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) and were admitted to Amedeo di Savoia Hospital of Turin during the years 1997 and 1998 (stages B2 and B3 or C2 and C3). Of these women. 31 presented with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs; mean age, 33.5 +/- 5.9 years). Among them, 14 were affected by cervicovaginal dysplasia of differing severity; human papillomavirus (HPV) infection was found in 13 subjects (10 with cervicovaginal dysplasia). Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection was detected in six women. Finally, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida albicans were found in 10 and in 6 patients, respectively. Immunologic and hematologic evaluations were performed in the patients affected by STDs; in 28 patients of our case report unaffected by STDs but of similar ages (34.1 +/- 5.6 years) and stage of infection; and in 20 HIV-negative women unaffected by STDs. A significant reduction among the patients affected by STDs, as compared to those unaffected, was found in the case of white cells, CD4+ T cells, and ratio values (CD4 +/ and CD8 + T cells). Moreover, red cell count and hemoglobin concentration were lower in those women in the STD group. A lack of correlation was found between HIV RNA loads and CD4 + T cell counts and between HIV RNA and hemoglobin concentration in the patients with cervicovaginal dysplasia and in those affected by HSV-2 infection, which differed from the findings in subjects affected only by trichomoniasis or candidiasis. This suggests that the two former pathologic conditions (cervico-vaginal dysplasia and HSV-2 infection), other than HIV- I infection, may contribute to the impairment of these values. Moreover in our case report, T vaginalis and HSV-2 infections, which are suspected to have an oncogenic potential, do not seem to be relevant in the induction or facilitation of genital neoplastic diseases. Noteworthy is that the patients affected by HSV-2 infection, such as those affected by genital neoplastic diseases, showed the most compromised values of total white cells, CD4+ T cells, ratio index, red cells, and hemoglobin concentration.