Urine human papillomavirus prevalence in women with high-grade cervical lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in urine samples from women with high-grade cervical lesions. Secondary objectives are to identify the influence of socio-demographic factors and the different genotypes with urinary HPV positivity. STUDY DESIGN: 75 women with a positive biopsy for CIN2+ were included in the study from October 2010 to July 2011. A sample of urine was collected immediately before conization at the outpatient clinic. We analyzed the presence of HPV using a PCR technique. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 34.8 years (range 24 to 61). All patients had histological CIN2+, of whom 54.67% had CIN3. The prevalence of HPV in urine test was 58.82% in CIN2 population versus 78.05% in CIN3 patients (p 0.072). 31 different genotypes were found. The most frequent HPV genotype was 16-HPV, which was identified in 58% of women with positive HPV-DNA in urine samples. No demographic characteristics were significantly associated to urinary HPV prevalence. CONCLUSION: Most of the patients with CIN2+ showed positive results for urine HPV test. The prevalence of positive urinary HPV test was higher for patients with CIN3. HPV urine detection could be considered as an acceptable option for high-risk population who skip regular screening programs.

Biological activities of fragments derived from Bordetella pertussis endotoxin: isolation of a nontoxic, Shwartzman-negative lipid A possessing high adjuvant properties.

Endotoxin from fresly sedimented Bordetella pertussis cells, isolated by the phenol/water procedure when submitted to kinetically controlled, mild acidic hydrolysis released a polysaccharide (polysaccharide 1), a complex lipid (lipid X), and a glycolipid. When treated with somewhat stronger acid, the glycolipid yielded a second polysaccharide (polysaccharide 2) and another complex lipid (lipid A). The intact pertussis endotoxin had all the usual properties of endotoxins extracted from enteric bacteria. Lipid X and the intermediary glycolipid retained all the endotoxic properties of the unfractionated endotoxin. In lipid A, pyrogenicity was reduced to a very low level and toxicity and Shwartzman reactivity were absent; however, this fraction retained most of the endotoxin's antiviral activity, and its adjuvant power was considerably higher than that of the intact endotoxin. Lipid A elicited nonspecific resistance against challenge with certain bacteria, but not against others.