The triage of squamous cell abnormalities of cervical cytology by human papilloma virus screening.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the presence of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in cervical swabs by the use of the Digene Hybrid Capture assay in a cohort of patients with squamous cell abnormalities found in cervical cytologic screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four (0.3%) of 1,100 patients who came for their routine cervical cytologic screening and diagnosed as having squamous cell abnormalities were enrolled in the study. Colposcopy-directed biopsy was obtained from all study patients. HPV DNA was sought in cervical swab specimens placed in Digene transport medium by the use of the Digene Hybrid Capture assay. The findings of cervical cytology, colposcopy-directed biopsy and HPV screening were compared. RESULTS: In a total of 34 women who were diagnosed as having squamous cell abnormalities in their routine cervical cytologic screening, 15 women had atypical squamous cell lesions of undetermined significancy (ASCUS), 16 women had low-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (LGSIL), and three women had high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (HGSIL). Five (15%) of these women tested positive for HPV screening in cervical swabs where four women had infection with high-risk and one woman had infection with low-risk subtypes. None of the patients with koilocytotic changes of the squamous cells in the class of LGSIL histopathologically tested positive for HPV screening. In addition, one patient diagnosed as having invasive cervical carcinoma histopathologically tested negative for HPV screening. Atypical vascularization was seen colposcopically in this 37-year-old woman who had ASCUS cytologically. CONCLUSION: HPV screening seems to have value in the triage of patients with ASCUS with no clear advantage to colposcopy-directed biopsy. The routine performance of HPV screening for the triage of patients with squamous cell abnormalities has no advantage over colposcopy-directed biopsy.

The prevalence of human papilloma virus DNA in women with mucopurulent endocervicitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in a group of patients with mucopurulent endocervicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-eight patients who came for their routine medical screening and were diagnosed with mucopurulent endocervicitis were enrolled in the study. HPV DNA was sought in cervical swab specimens placed in digene transport medium by use of the Digene Hybrid Capture assay. RESULTS: HPV infection was detected in 5.4% (8/148) of the patients with mucopurulent endocervicitis. The mean age of the patients was 36.4+/-8.2 (18-54) years. Approximately 40% (59/148) of the patients used intrauterine devices currently or in the past, while 16.2% (24/148) used combined oral contraceptives as the contraceptive method. HPV DNA was detected in eight patients: five had infections with low-risk subtypes, one with high/intermediate risk subtypes and one with the combination of high- and low-risk subtypes. The mean age of the HPV infected patients was significantly lower than the HPV negative patients (28.2+/-6.3 versus 36.9+/-8.1 years, p = 0.003). Risk factors for HPV infection did not differ between the infected and uninfected groups. CONCLUSION: HPV infection should be sought in patients with clinical evidence of mucopurulent endocervicitis even without risk factors for cervical neoplasia.

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in a pediatric population.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the common bacterial infections in humans. In this study, seroprevalence of H. pylori infection in a pediatric population in Izmir and its relationship with different variables were investigated. Two hundred twenty-six children (115 boys, 111 girls, age range: 1-18) were tested for anti-H. pylori IgG. Socioeconomic conditions, living area (urban or rural), and number of people living in the same house were noted for each subject. H. pylori antibodies were determined by an enzyme immunoassay. Overall, 120 (53%) subjects were seropositive for H. pylori. The seroprevalence of H. pylori increased significantly with age and poor socioeconomic conditions. Seroprevalence did not differ according to sex, number of people living in the same house or living area.

Screening for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and 2 in a Turkish blood donor population.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus-1 and -2 infection in voluntary blood donors at a university hospital in the third largest city of Turkey and to evaluate the HIV testing strategy for notifying blood donors. METHODS: Between July 1995 and August 1997, 36,373 voluntary blood donors who met the criteria for donating blood were tested for the presence of HIV-1 and -2 antibodies by using an automated enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay. Repeatedly reactive samples were subjected to a different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a line immunoassay (LIA) for the detection of antibodies. RESULTS: Of the 36,373 samples tested 72 were found to be repeatedly reactive or borderline by the first screening enzyme immunoassay (EIA). None of the 72 samples was reactive by the second EIA. These samples were further tested by LIA: 64 were negative on the line immunoassay and 8 were indeterminate. Three of eight donors who had indeterminate results by LIA were tested for HIV-1 DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and were found to be negative. One additional donor with an indeterminate LIA was found to be negative by EIA and LIA during the 6-month follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Donor questioning, repeat EIA testing, LIA testing, and HIV-1 DNA analysis did not confirm evidence for HIV infection among this blood donor population. Blood donor notification of test results according to the World Health Organization (WHO) strategy III was found to be an appropriate approach.