DETECTION OF HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS IN FEMALE AND MALE ANOGENITAL LESIONS WITH PAPILLOMAVIRUS-ASSOCIATED DYSPLASTIC CHANGES

The aim of the study was to determine the presence of human papillomav irus (HPV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in lesions from mucosal and k eratinized cutaneous epithelium of the anogenital tract. One hundred n inety-eight women and 55 men with anogenital lesions were enrolled for the study. Biopsies were prepared for histological analysis and in si tu hybridization using biotinylated probes. Potential oncogenic HPVs w ere found in 15% of samples showing no outward signs of HPV infection or inflammation. They were detected in 40% of samples showing low grad e squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) and in 95 to 100% of lesions showing high-grade SIL. Cytomegalovirus DNA was detected twice as freq uently in women as in men, and was preferentially associated with high -grade SIL. A significant relationship between high-risk HPVs and the presence of CMV was observed in the low-grade lesions. Our data sugges t that the CMV genome in the host epithelial cells might act as a perm issive factor upon which oncogenic HPV could interact over time to inc rease the frequency and severity of cervical, penile, and anal dysplas ia.