[Apoptosis and proliferation of epithelial cells in papillomaviral and chlamydial cervicitis].

Patients with chlamydial and papillomaviral cervicitis show a significantly higher activity of the ectocervical epithelium which is particularly pronounced in papillomaviral infection. This is, however, matched by progressively reduced apoptosis of epithelial cells which in turn suggests the possibility of papillomaviruses and chlamydiae contributing to inhibition of infected cells and, thus, paving the way for development of precancer and cancer of cervix uteri.