Low- and high-risk human papillomavirus genotype infections in intra-anal warts in HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

BACKGROUND

Anogenital warts are often presumed to represent nondysplastic or low-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia (LGAIN). We previously demonstrated that up to 20% of intra-anal warts in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) contain regions of high-grade AIN (HGAIN).

OBJECTIVES

To determine the causative human papillomavirus (HPV) types of low- and high- grade dysplastic areas in warts from HIV-positive MSM.

METHODS

A total of 42 intra-anal warts from 41 HIV-positive MSM were graded as nondysplastic, LGAIN or HGAIN. Whole-tissue sections (WTS) were analysed with the SPF10 polymerase chain reaction/LiPA25 HPV genotyping system. If the WTS contained multiple HPV types, dysplastic regions were isolated by laser capture microdissection (LCM) for HPV genotyping.

RESULTS

Overall, 38 of 42 (91%) WTS tested positive for HPV DNA. Of these, 23 (61%) contained a single HPV type and 15 (39%) contained multiple HPV types. All LCM-selected regions contained no more than one HPV type. Ten of 42 (24%) WTS contained HGAIN disease, of which six (60%) were associated with a high-risk HPV (hrHPV) genotype. Twenty-three of 42 WTS contained LGAIN disease, of which two (9%) were associated with hrHPV. AIN lesions containing hrHPV types were identified using p16 staining.

CONCLUSIONS

LGAIN lesions can be caused by high-risk HPV genotypes and vice versa. We therefore recommend routine follow-up and treatment of all dysplastic intra-anal warts for HIV-positive MSM.