HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS GENITAL-INFECTION AM ONG MEN SCREENED FOR GENITAL PAPIL-LOMAVIRUS

Objective. Our aim was to assess the frequency of herpetic genital inf ection (HSV) among men attending a human papillomavirus (HPV) screenin g centre. Clinical screening of a herpetic lesion was completed with b iological detection of HSV by cell culture and by polymerase chain rea ction (PCR). We also evaluated the role of the male viral factor on th e female partners. Method. We performed a genital examination by colpo scopy of 135 men whose female partners presented an HPV genital infect ion. The HPV lesions detected underwent biopsy by Southern blot viral analysis. The lesions which clinically appeared to be caused by HSV we re removed for HSV detection and typing by cell culture and by PCR. Sp erm was collected for viral detection by cell culture and PCR was coll ected for viral detection by cell culture and PCR from patients presen ting a herpetic type urethral symptomatology. Results. Peniscopy detec ted HPV lesions in 46 p. 100 of the men, in 88 p. 100 of cases in the balano-preputial zone and in 82 p. 100 of cases their morphology was e xophytic. The other areas were in 14.5 p. 100 of cases urethral and 9 p. 100 anal. We detected a dysplasic lesion in 6 p. 100 of cases. In 7 4 p. 100 of cases molecular hybridization by Southern detected 6/11/42 type HPV and in 6.4 p. 100 of cases HPV 16. Clinical examination reve aled the presence of genital herpetic infection in 15.5 p. 100 of case s, of these 76 p. 100 were preputial and 24 p. 100 meato-urethral. PCR detected HSV-2 in 88 p. 100 of the preputial lesions and in 86 p. 100 of the spermatic ejaculates from the meato-urethal lesions. The chi(2 ) test showed that no link exists between a herpetic genital infection and the presence of an HPV lesion, but that the risk is greater (OR = 2.15; IC 95 p. 100 = 0.84-5.49). We also observed that 50 p. 100 of t he female partners of men with both HPV + HSV infections had high grad e cervical lesions. Conclusion. This study shows that clinical, examin ation in an HPV screening centre anabled detection of clinical HSV in 15.5 p. 100 of cases as opposed to 17 p. 100 biologically. Thus the go od clinical-virological correlation shows that clinical criteria remai n the principal elements for detecting viral genital infections, it th erefore appears advantageous to only use the new HSV identification te chniques for targeted detection. Also, herpetic genital infection is i ndependant of human papillomavirus infection. When screening for HPV, herpetic genital infection should be taken into account as we have obs erved that the female partners of men with both HPV + HSV are at great er risk of presenting high grade cervical lesions.