A cumulative case-control study of risk factor profiles for oncogenic and nononcogenic cervical human papillomavirus infections.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) play an essential role in the etiology of cervical cancer, but besides an established role for sexual transmission, little is known about other risk factors for HPV infection. Risk factors for nononcogenic, oncogenic, and HPV 16 cervical infections were investigated using a cumulative case-control approach nested in an ongoing cohort study of low income women from São Paulo, Brazil. HPV DNA was detected and typed by the MY09/11 PCR protocol. Risk factor information was obtained via interviews. In a case-control analysis, we compared women who harbored infections with exclusively nononcogenic types (n = 123), exclusively oncogenic types (n = 94), and any HPV 16 (n = 60) to women remaining HPV-negative (n = 512) throughout 1 year of follow-up. A strong negative association was found between age and oncogenic infections, but not with nononcogenic infections. Oral contraceptive use was strongly and exclusively associated with oncogenic and HPV 16 infections. Markers of sexual activity were associated with all types of infections, although with varying strengths. Our results suggest some important differences in the epidemiological correlates of HPV infection according to oncogenicity that may have implications for the-planning of specific preventive strategies aiming at reduction of cervical cancer risk.

[Anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibodies and lung disease in cystic fibrosis] / Anticorpi anti Psudomonas aeruginosa e malattia polmonare in fibrosi cistica.

The aim of our study was to diagnose and to control three aspects of the evolution of lung disease in CF: the absence of infection, the intermittent colonization and chronic infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Therefore a study of anti-pseudomonas antibodies (Ab) (anti-protease, anti-elastin and antihexo-toxin A) for diagnosis and follow-up of CF patients was considered. Moreover, we related the presence of Ab to the sputum culture, to FEV1, to patient age and to genotype. Tbe Ab were dosed in 121 patients by quantitative ELISA method. Values < 1: 500 were considered negative, values> 1: 500 and < 1:1250 borderline, and > 1:1250 positive. 16.5% of patients did not have Ab, 17% had borderline values and 69.5% had positive values. All the patients with negative Ab had negative sputum culture; 47% of patients with borderline values had at least one positive culture while 53% were negative. 87% of patients with positive values had chronic colonization, 13% intermittent colonization. The increase in the Ab rate is statistically related to a more severe lung disease (p < 0.013). The presence of a severe mutation (?F 508) is related to positive values of Ab. Evaluation of anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important tool for diagnosis and follow-up of CF lung disease