CHILDHOOD CONDYLOMA ACUMINATUM - ASSOCIATION WITH GENITAL AND CUTANEOUS HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUSES

We studied 25 children, age 7 months to 12 years 6 months, with anogen ital warts, and their parents. In most children the warts were localiz ed in the anal area, in 3 of 18 girls perianally and on the vulva, and in 4 girls exclusively on the vulva. Southern blot hybridization stud ies disclosed an association of condylomata with human papillomaviruse s (HPV) 6 and 11 in 74% and HPV 2 in 17.4% of patients. The clinical f eatures were similar in warts induced by genital and cutaneous HPVs. E ven the HPV 2-associated warts in the vulva of two girls were typical of condyloma acuminatum. In all children with HPV 2-induced condylomat a, cutaneous common warts coexisted, also induced by HPV 2. However, t hree mothers had cutaneous warts, and the children's condylomata were associated with HPV 6. Thus, the mere presence of skin warts in family members does not rule out other sources of infection. Sexual abuse wa s suspected in four girls and two boys, but was not confirmed in any. Nonsexual transmission could occur by persons with the lesions taking care of children. Perinatal transmission also appears to be an importa nt route of infection in small babies. Infection in utero was probable in one girl in whom anal warts appeared in the first week of life and whose mother had cervical condylomata during pregnancy. This study pr ovides further confirmation of possible nonsexual transmission of geni tal HPVs and the not infrequent association of childhood condylomata w ith HPV 2.