Counteracting HPV Cervical and Anal Infection through Dietary Supplementation of EGCG, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 and Hyaluronic Acid: Clinical Case Reports.

Background: Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and the management of its persistence is still a great medical challenge. Recently, scientific evidence has supported the potential therapeutic effects of four combined natural molecules-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), folic acid, vitamin B12 and hyaluronic acid (HA)-in counteracting HPV DNA positivity and related cytological lesions. Methods: Each patient of these five clinical cases had persistent HPV positivity in the anogenital site and assumed a dietary supplement based on a combination of 200 mg of EGCG, 50 mg of HA, 1 mg of vitamin B12 and 400 mcg of folic acid (Pervistop®, Farmares s.r.l., Rome, Italy) at a dosage of 1 or 2 caps/day for 6 or 3 months, respectively, depending on clinical history. Results: After treatment, all the patients reported a negative HPV DNA test and improved cytological lesions, thus demonstrating the ability of these combined molecules to counteract both anal and cervical HPV infection and related manifestations. Conclusions: Overall, these data corroborate previous evidence about the effectiveness of such natural molecules in the management of HPV infection and its persistence. Naturally, further studies with a larger population and long-term follow-up will contribute to reinforce the positive effects of this dietary supplement in counteracting HPV infection.

Clinical-epidemiological characterization of human anal papilloma virus infection coloproctology unit: Central University Hospital Dr. "Antonio Maria Pineda"

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted viral diseases. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with the purpose of clinically and epidemiologically characterizing anal HPV infection in patients who attended the Benign Orificial Pathology Consultation of the Coloproctological Unit at the Dr. "Antonio María Pineda" Central University Hospital, during the period March 2022 -February 2023, by selecting 288 patients whose average age was 47.09 ± 14.61 years, being the 41-50 years old group (29.17%) and the 51-60 years old group (19.44%) the most affected groups by pathologies of the anal region, with a predominance of male (54.17%). The sociodemographic characteristics with the highest frequency included married (48.61%) and single (47.22%); secondary level of education (44.44%) and traders (18.05%) and housewives (15, 28%) as predominant occupations. The risk factors were represented by onset of sexual intercourse between 16-20 years of age (65.28%), heterosexuality (91.67%), 22.22% reported having anal sex and 5.56% oral sex. Likewise, 5.56% were reported with a history of genital HPV and 4.17% were HIV positive. In addition, 48.61% stated not to use condoms. The initial clinical diagnosis included hemorrhoidal disease (30.55%), anal fistula (25%) and anal fissure (18.05%), and one patient (1.39%) with anal HPV infection. Anal cytology results showed 8.33% flat epithelial cells with cytopathic changes suggestive of HPV infection and 1.39% squamous cells with cytopathic changes suggestive of HPV infection: 50% mild inflammatory negative for malignancy and 33.33% flat epithelial cells without atypia. In conclusion, the anal cytology investigation should continue to determine the actual frequency of anal HPV infection. (AU)

Cervical, oral and anal Human papillomavirus infection in women attending the Dermatology Unit of a regional reference hospital in Genoa, Italy: a prevalence study.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. In women with genital infection, the virus can be transmitted by sex to the oral cavity of their partners and then to their own oral cavity. The aim of the present study was to establish the prevalence of cervical/anal/oral HPV infection in women attending the Dermatology Unit of the Policlinico San Martino of Genoa, the regional reference hospital in Liguria, Italy. Methods: Between January 2016 and December 2018, the female patients attending the STI center (cases) and those requiring a full body skin examination for skin cancer screening ("supposed" healthy population: controls) were recruited. Cervical/anal/oral samples were collected with ThinPrep liquid based cytology preparation system: polymerase chain reaction for HPV and cytological evaluation were performed. Overall, 85 cases and 31 controls were recruited. Results: Cervical HPV infection was detected in 60% of the cases and 48% of the controls; anal HPV infection in 44% of the cases and 26% of the controls. Cervical and anal HPV infection resulted associated, especially in the control group. Moreover, 32% of the cases and 29% of the controls proved HPV positive in the oral cavity. In the cases of our series, prevalence of cervical, anal and oral HPV infection was higher compared with the controls. Conclusions: The high prevalence of anal-oral infections and the frequent association between anal and cervical infections, provide reason to suggest HPV screening also in the anal and oral regions, which may represent HPV reservoirs and grounds for cancer development.

Intero-External Hemorrhoids Complicated by Ischio-Anal Infection Coexisting with Tubo-Ovarian Abscesses: A Case for Early Surgical Intervention.

Hemorrhoids are abnormal collections of engorged blood vessels and tissue within the anal canal or surrounding the anus. Management consists of conservative treatment or a hemorrhoidectomy, dependent on disease severity, duration, and physician discretion. Reported is a case of a 44-year-old, African American female initially treated conservatively for intero-external hemorrhoids, that later abscessed into the ischio-anal fossa and was further complicated by an infection of the deep pelvic space. This report explores conservative and surgical management of hemorrhoids, and offers recommendations for symptom management, and reducing disease progression and complications.

Advances and Annoyances in Anus Pathology.

Anal lesions are commonly mistaken clinically for prolapse or hemorrhoids but span a wide spectrum of disorders. Anal lesions include squamous, glandular, melanocytic, infectious, and lymphoid tumors. This article provides a broad overview of anal disorders and highlights specific issues that may hinder diagnosis.

Anal and oral human papillomavirus infection in men who have sex with men: implications for risk-targeted vaccination.

Aim: Men who have sex with men (MSM) harbor a significant burden of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related diseases that could be prevented by vaccination. Materials & methods: Prevalence of HPVs targeted by the quadrivalent (4vHPV) and nonavalent vaccines (9vHPV) was assessed in anal (n = 443) and oral (n = 193) specimens of immunocompetent, sexually active MSM, using the Linear Array. Results: Of the anal samples, 34.1 and 46.0% were positive for at least one genotype of those covered by the 4vHPV and 9vHPV, respectively. At least one of the HPVs targeted by the 9vHPV was detected in 5.7% of the oral specimens. Conclusion: The majority of the subjects were not currently infected by HPV-16 and other vaccine-preventable HPVs. Universal HPV vaccination should be strongly promoted in order to achieve protection for all risk groups. In the meanwhile, vaccination should be offered to sexually active adult MSM attendees of sexually transmitted infection centers, although its potential benefit for these subjects needs to be further investigated.

Prevalence and genotypes of anal human papillomavirus infection among HIV-positive vs. HIV-negative men in Taizhou, China.

This study aims to investigate the prevalence and genotype distribution of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among men with different sexual orientations with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in China. A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2016-2017 in Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province. Convenient sampling was used to recruit male participants from HIV voluntary counselling and testing clinics and Center for Disease Control and Prevention. A face-to-face questionnaire interview was administered and an anal-canal swab was collected for HPV genotyping. A total of 160 HIV-positive and 113 HIV-negative men participated in the study. The prevalence of any type HPV was 30.6% for heterosexual men, 74.1% for homosexual and 63.6% for bisexual men among HIV-positive participants, while the prevalence was 8.3%, 29.2% and 23.8% respectively among HIV-negatives. The most prevalent genotypes were HPV-58 (16.9%), HPV-6 (15.6%) and HPV-11 (15.0%) among HIV-positive men, and were HPV-16 (4.4%), HPV-52 (4.4%) and HPV-6 (3.5%) among HIV-negative men. Having ever had haemorrhoids and having ever seen blood on tissue after defaecation was associated with HPV infection. One-fourth of the HPV infections in this study population can be covered by the quadrivalent vaccine in market. The highly prevalent anal HPV infection among men especially HIV-infected men calls for close observation and further investigation for anal cancer prevention.

Prevalencia de infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano en el Hospital Comandante Manuel Fajardo / Prevalence of HPV anal infection at Comandante Manuel Fajardo Hospital

Introducción: la infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano, se ha convertido en una entidad muy frecuente y se ha demostrado su relación con el cáncer anal. Objetivo: estimar la prevalencia del virus del papiloma humano en pacientes atendidos en el servicio de coloproctología del Hospital Comandante Manuel Fajardo. Métodos: se realizó estudio observacional descriptivo y transversal en 102 pacientes sin patologías agudas anorrectales que dieron su consentimiento. El estudio se realizó desde enero de 2010 hasta diciembre 2013. Se aplicó entrevista a los pacientes, recogida de datos de historia clínica, examen físico anogenital y examen citológico anal. Las variables de estudio fueron: edad, color de la piel, estado civil, nivel escolar y factores de riesgo. Resultados: de 102 citologías realizadas, 29, (25,66 por ciento) fueron positivas a la infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano. La prevalencia de citologías positivas a la infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano según variables fue: sexo femenino: 57 (55,80 por ciento); edades entre 18 y 40 años; mestizos (35 por ciento); divorciados (55,55 por ciento); pacientes con nivel primario; portadores al VIH (73,07 por ciento). Conclusiones: la citología anal constituyó un procedimiento factible para la detección de la incidencia por la infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano y los factores de riesgo son similares a los encontrados en otras regiones y publicaciones(AU)

Introduction: Human papillomavirus anal infection has become a very common entity and been proved its relationship with anal cancer. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of HPV in patients treated by the coloproctology service at Manuel Fajardo Hospital. Methods: A observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study with 102 patients without any acute anorectal pathologies, and who gave their informed consent. The studied was conducted from January 2010 to December 2013. The patients were interviewed, clinical record data were gathered, anal-genital physical examination and anal-cytological examination were performed. The study variables were age, skin color, marital status, educational level and risk factors. Results: Out of 102 smear tests performed, 29 (25.66 por ciento) were Human papillomavirus anal infection-positive. The prevalence of Human papillomavirus anal infection-positive smears according to variables were: female sex (57, 55.80 por ciento), aged 18-40; mestizos (35 por ciento); divorced (55.55 por ciento); primary education patients; HIV-carriers (73.07 por ciento). Conclusions: Anal cytology was an effective procedure for detecting the incidence of HPVAI, and the risk factors are similar to those found in other regions and publications(AU)

Prevalencia de infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano en el Hospital Comandante Manuel Fajardo / Prevalence of HPV anal infection at Comandante Manuel Fajardo Hospital

Introducción: la infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano, se ha convertido en una entidad muy frecuente y se ha demostrado su relación con el cáncer anal. Objetivo: estimar la prevalencia del virus del papiloma humano en pacientes atendidos en el servicio de coloproctología del Hospital Comandante Manuel Fajardo. Métodos: se realizó estudio observacional descriptivo y transversal en 102 pacientes sin patologías agudas anorrectales que dieron su consentimiento. El estudio se realizó desde enero de 2010 hasta diciembre 2013. Se aplicó entrevista a los pacientes, recogida de datos de historia clínica, examen físico anogenital y examen citológico anal. Las variables de estudio fueron: edad, color de la piel, estado civil, nivel escolar y factores de riesgo. Resultados: de 102 citologías realizadas, 29, (25,66 por ciento) fueron positivas a la infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano. La prevalencia de citologías positivas a la infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano según variables fue: sexo femenino: 57 (55,80 por ciento); edades entre 18 y 40 años; mestizos (35 por ciento); divorciados (55,55 por ciento); pacientes con nivel primario; portadores al VIH (73,07 por ciento). Conclusiones: la citología anal constituyó un procedimiento factible para la detección de la incidencia por la infección anal por el virus del papiloma humano y los factores de riesgo son similares a los encontrados en otras regiones y publicaciones(AU)

Introduction: Human papillomavirus anal infection has become a very common entity and been proved its relationship with anal cancer. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of HPV in patients treated by the coloproctology service at Manuel Fajardo Hospital. Methods: A observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study with 102 patients without any acute anorectal pathologies, and who gave their informed consent. The studied was conducted from January 2010 to December 2013. The patients were interviewed, clinical record data were gathered, anal-genital physical examination and anal-cytological examination were performed. The study variables were age, skin color, marital status, educational level and risk factors. Results: Out of 102 smear tests performed, 29 (25.66 por ciento) were Human papillomavirus anal infection-positive. The prevalence of Human papillomavirus anal infection-positive smears according to variables were: female sex (57, 55.80 por ciento), aged 18-40; mestizos (35 por ciento); divorced (55.55 por ciento); primary education patients; HIV-carriers (73.07 por ciento). Conclusions: Anal cytology was an effective procedure for detecting the incidence of HPVAI, and the risk factors are similar to those found in other regions and publications(AU)

Anal human papillomavirus in HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men: incidence and clearance rates, duration of infection, and risk factors.

Little is known regarding the natural history of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. We aimed to evaluate incidence and clearance rates, their risk factors, and duration of anal HPV infection in HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM). A longitudinal study was conducted. Anal samples were analysed using the Linear Array HPV Genotyping test. Incidence and clearance rates, and corresponding risk factors, were estimated using a two-state Markov model. Overall, 155 MSM (median age 33.4 years) attending the largest sexually transmitted infection (STI) centre in Rome, Italy, were followed for a median of 12.2 months (Q1-Q3: 7.0-18.1). Incidence and clearance rates for any HPV were 85.6 (95% CI: 58.4-125.4) and 35.6 (95% CI: 24.7-51.5) × 1000 person-months, respectively; the median duration of infection was 9.4 months (Q1-Q3: 7.5-12.1). Receptive anal sex emerged as the only risk factor for the acquisition of any HPV (Hazard Ratio, HR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.16-6.06). The incidence rates for carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic types were 42.3 (95% CI: 29.2-61.4) and 29.2 (95% CI: 19.5-43.7) × 1000 person-months, respectively (p = 0.13); their clearance rates were 62.9 (95% CI: 45.1-87.7) and 65.7 (95% CI: 47.4-91.0) × 1000 person-months, respectively (p = 0.83). HPV16 showed the lowest clearance rate among carcinogenic types (59.7 × 1000 person-months), and a duration of infection of 16.8 months. In conclusion, a higher incidence rate was observed for carcinogenic compared to non-carcinogenic HPV types, although the difference was not significant. HPV16 emerged as the type with the longest duration of infection and the lowest clearance rate among carcinogenic types.

Anal human papillomavirus infection: prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of related lesions.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is mostly asymptomatic, but may also have many diverse clinical signs encompassing benign ano-genital lesions, and carcinomas. Recently, interest has also particularly focused on anal cancer since, over the last decades, its incidence has been greatly increasing in developed countries, both in women and men and is drastically higher in specific risk groups, such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and HIV-1 infected individuals. Approximately 88% of anal cancer cases worldwide are associated with HPV infection. This review summarizes our current understanding of anal HPV infection, discussing its epidemiology and risk factors in various populations, and the state of the art in the detection of anal HPV infection and its related lesions through both cytology and histology. Finally, we discuss the clinical management and therapy for these lesions.

The relationship between the cervical and anal HPV infection in women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

BACKGROUND: More than 90% of cases of anal cancers are caused by high-risk human papillomavirus (HR HPV) infection and a history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is established as possible risk factor. OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate relationship between anal and cervical HPV infection in women with different grades of CIN and microinvasive cervical cancer. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 272 women were enrolled in the study. The study group included 172 women who underwent conization for high-grade CIN or microinvasive cervical cancer. The control group consisted of 100 women with non-neoplastic gynecologic diseases or biopsy-confirmed CIN 1. All participants completed a questionnaire detailing their medical history and sexual risk factors and were subjected to anal and cervical HPV genotyping using Cobas and Lynear array HPV test. RESULTS: Cervical, anal, and concurrent cervical and anal HPV infections were detected in 82.6%, 48.3% and 42.4% of women in the study group, and in 28.0%, 26.0% and 8.0% of women in the control group, respectively. The prevalence of the HR HPV genotypes was higher in the study group and significantly increased with the severity of cervical lesion. Concurrent infections of the cervix and anus occurred 5.3-fold more often in the study group than in the control group. Any contact with the anus was the only significant risk factor for development of concurrent HPV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent anal and cervical HR HPV infection was found in nearly half of women with CIN 2+. The dominant genotype found in both anatomical locations was HPV 16. Any frequency and any type of contact with the anus were shown as the most important risk factor for concurrent HPV infection.

Etiologic and clinical analysis of chronic complex anal and rectal inflammation in children less than 3 years old.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the etiology and clinical diagnostic method for chronic complex anal and rectal inflammation in children less than 3 years old. METHOD: Seven children (5 males and 2 females; 1 year 8 months to 3 years of age at the time of physician evaluation) with chronic complex anal and rectal inflammation were enrolled between May 2008 and May 2013 at our hospital. Clinical history, results of auxiliary examinations, and empirical treatment of the children were analyzed retrospectively combined with the etiologic diagnosis. RESULTS: Four patients were confirmed to have Crohn's disease and one patient was confirmed to have intestinal tuberculosis; two patients were suspected to have Crohn's disease. Anemia and low pre-albumin level were common (seven patients); serologic testing revealed four patients with elevated IgG levels and seven patients with elevated IgA levels; there were no patients with positive tuberculosis antibody titers and two patients were weakly positive for C-ANCA (one patient with Crohn's disease and one patient intestinal tuberculosis). Colonoscopies revealed that the entire colon was affected in one patient, the left hemicolon was affected in four patients, and the sigmoid colon and rectum were affected in two patients. Two patients with Crohn's disease and one patient with intestinal tuberculosis were diagnosed by colonoscopies in combination with histopathologic examinations. Two patients with Crohn's disease were confirmed after empirical drug treatment, and two other patients were not definitely diagnosed. CONCLUSION: The possibility of Crohn's disease or intestinal tuberculosis should be considered in the clinical diagnosis of complex chronic anal and rectal inflammation in younger children. Local surgery is sometimes unnecessary. Empirical drug treatment should be used if necessary.