Screening of human papillomavirus infection in women with systemic sclerosis.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: High risk human papilloma-viruses (HR HPV) are associated with risk of cervical dysplasia and carcinoma. The risk is increased in patients with immune deficiency or auto-immune disease as systemic lupus erythematosus. Currently, no data are available about the human papillomavirus status in women with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Thirty-one women with SSc were evaluated for cervical HPV infection and dysplasia, and compared to fifty age-matched control. Cervical swabs were tested by the INNO-LiPA assay®. Serum antibodies against HPV 16 and 18 were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the SSc group. RESULTS: The overall HPV frequency was comparable between SSc and controls (32% vs. 38%), as well as the HR HPV frequency (28% vs. 34%), but infection by ≥2 HPV was two times more frequent in the SSc group (50% vs. 26% of the HPV positive samples). The most prevalent genotype was 52 in the SSc group (12%), and 52/53 in the control group (8% for both). Pap smears were within the normal range. Seropositivity for HPV 16 and 18 was 13% and 6.5%, respectively. A diffuse systemic sclerosis and a younger age at first intercourse were more frequent in cases of overall HPV positivity. Current smoking and a higher number of sexual partners were only observed in cases of seropositivity. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to evaluate HPV status in women with SSc. HR HPV52 was the most common genotype with a greater multi-HPV infection rate. This result needs to be confirmed in a larger study.