Prevalence and genotype distribution of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR HPV) in male genital samples of Osijek-Baranja County.

This is a first cross-sectional study on the prevalence and distribution of HPV infection in asymptomatic, heterosexual men from Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia. Between 2009 and 2011, 330 men tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were recruited. Their genital swabs were tested for high-risk HPV (HR HPV) infection by the AMPLICOR HPV test and further genotyped by the Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test (both by Roche). Infection with a single HR HPV was detected in almost one third of men (39%) whereas multiple HPV types, in more than a half of HR HPV-positive men (61%). The highest HR HPV prevalence was detected in those younger than 20 (37.5%) and lowest in 31-35 year old men (27.8%). The most common genotypes were HPV 6 (24%), 16 (17.8%), 51 (9%), 52 (6%), 35, 55, 66, 84 (each 5%), 31, 62 (each 4%), 39, 58, 59, 83 (each 2.5%), and finally 56, 18, 53, and 54 (each 1.3%). Having more than one sexual partner per year was significantly associated with HR HPV infection in age group between 26 and 30 years (p = 0.001). Due to the high prevalence of HR HPV infection in men of this County and its risk of transmission to women, we recommend more public awareness about this particular STD and initiating vaccination programs of young men and women.

Distribution of Chlamydia trachomatis serotypes in clinical urogenital samples from north-eastern Croatia.

The purpose of this study was to determine prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) urogenital infection and its serotype distribution from clinical samples in north-eastern Croatia. During a 3-year period, 2,379 urogenital samples were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (A group), while 4,846 genital swabs were analyzed by direct fluorescent antibody test (B group). 132 Ct positive specimens were genotyped by omp1 gene sequencing. The prevalence rate of Ct was 3.2 % in A and 1 % in B group. The most prevalent chlamydial genotype was E (44 %), followed by F (33 %), K (11.5 %), G (8 %), J/UW (5.3 %), D-IC (4.4 %), D-B120 (1.8 %), and B/IU, J/IU, Ia/IU (0.9 % each) serotypes. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of omp1 gene were detected in E, K, and G serotypes. Some of these SNPs (C/T at position 272 and G/A at position 813 in E strain; C/T at position 884 in D strain) might represent novel omp1 variants.