Prevalence and Correlates of Penile HPV Infection in a Clinic-Based Sample of Hispanic Males.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this manuscript is to describe the prevalence, genotypic distribution of penile HPV infection and the behavioral risk factors associated with penile HPV infection (any HPV type, high-oncogenic-risk [HR] types, low-oncogenic-risk [LR] types, and of multiple HPV types) in a group of sexually active males who went to an STI clinic in San Juan, Puerto Rico. METHODS: After providing informed consent, the participants, underwent a detailed behavioral interview and a clinical examination. Frequency distributions and descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study samples. Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for any type of HPV, HR types, LR types, or multiple types. Logistic regression analyses was performed to determine factors associated with each of the HPV types. RESULTS: Two hundred and six participants were enrolled in this study. The mean age of the participants was 37.8±13.1 years. Close to 80% of the sample were infected with at least one HPV type; 73.5% were infected with one or more LR-HPV types; 32.4%, with one or more HR-HPV types; and 46.0%, with multiple HPV types. The most prevalent HR types were HPV-35, -31, and -16; the most prevalent LR types were HPV 6/11, and -84. After adjusting for age, having a high number of lifetime female sexual partners was highly associated with having multiple types of HPV infection (estimated OR=2.86; 95% CI=1.41, 5.80). CONCLUSION: HPV infection is common among sexually active males frequenting this STI clinic. HPV types not covered by the current quadrivalent HPV vaccine were identified. Multiple HPV types in the penis are significantly related to the lifetime number of female sexual partners. The high prevalence of HPV at this particular STI clinic evidences that males need to be targeted in primary care settings if the available vaccine is to be effectively promoted. In addition, opportunities for secondary prevention of HPV in STI settings are recommended, because of the burden of anal and penile cancer documented in the island.

The optimized evaluation of diabetic foot infection by dual isotope SPECT/CT imaging protocol.

Sequential Tc-99m hydroxymethylene-diphosphonate (HDP) 3-phase bone (BS) and In-111 leukocyte scanning (WBCS) have been frequently used to evaluate the diabetic foot, as nonosteomyelitis BS uptake is repeatedly observed and osteomyelitis (OM) in WBCS is often uncertain without BS correlation. Additionally, both modalities are limited in lesion localization because of low resolution and lack of anatomic details. We investigated a method that combined BS/WBCS, and if needed, WBCS/bone marrow scanning (BMS) using SPECT/CT to accurately diagnose/localize infection in a practical protocol. Blood flow/pool images were obtained followed by WBC reinjection and next day dual isotope (DI) BS/WBCS planar and SPECT/CT. BMS/WBCS SPECT/CT (step 2 DI) was obtained on the following day when images were suspicious for mid/hindfoot OM. Diagnosis accuracy and confidence were judged for the various imaging combinations. Diagnosis was classified as OM, soft tissue infection (STI), both OM/STI, and other/no bony pathology by microbiology/pathology or follow-up. Distinction between various diagnostic categories and overall OM diagnostic accuracy in 213 patients were higher for DI than WBCS or BS alone, and for DI SPECT/CT than DI planar or SPECT only. Diagnostic confidence/lesion site was significantly higher for DI SPECT/CT than other comparative imaging methods. In a group of 97 patients with confirmed microbiologic/pathologic diagnosis, similar results were attained. Step 2 DI SPECT/CT performed in 67 patients further improved diagnostic accuracy/confidence. DI SPECT/CT is a highly accurate modality that considerably improves detection and discrimination of STI and OM while providing precise anatomic localization in the diabetic foot. This combined imaging technique promises to beneficially impact diabetic patient care.