BackgroundAlthough analysis of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype spread in a particular area has a crucial impact on public health and prevention programmes, there is a lack of epidemiological data regarding HPV in the Calabria region of Italy. We therefore update information on HPV age/genotype distribution by retrospectively analysing a cohort of women, with and without cervical lesions, living in Calabria, who underwent HPV DNA testing; moreover, we also evaluated HPV age/genotype distribution in a subset of patients with cervical lesions.MethodsCervical scrape specimens obtained from 9590 women (age range 20–75 years) from January 2010 to December 2015 were tested for HPV DNA. Viral types were genotyped by Linear Array HPV Genotyping® test (Roche, USA) at the Clinical Microbiology Operative Unit of six hospitals located in four provinces of the Calabria region.Cervical scrape specimens were also used to perform Pap smears for cytological analysis in a subset of 405 women; cytological classification of the samples was performed according to the Bethesda classification system.ResultsA total of 2974 women (31%) (C.I. 95% 30.09–31.94) were found to be HPV DNA positive for at least one (57.3%) or several (42.7%) HPV genotypes. Of single genotype HPV infections, 46.5% and 36.4 % were classed as high-risk (HR, Group 1) and low-risk (LR, Group 3) respectively, while 16.9% were classed as probably/possibly carcinogenic and 0.2% undetermined risk. Stratified by age, total HPV distribution, showed the highest prevalence within the range 30–39 years (37.2%), while single genotype infection distribution displayed a peak in women from the age range 20–29 years (37.5%). The most common high-risk HPV type was HPV 16 (19.1%), followed by HPV 31 (9.1%).ConclusionsWe provide epidemiological data on HPV age/genotype distribution in women living in the Calabria region with or without cytological abnormalities, further to the enhancement of HPV screening/prevention programmes for the local population.

In a three year time (2001)(2002)(2003) we evaluated the use of HPV testing and typing in 520 cytologically abnormal women (322 LSIL, 198 HSIL), in 25 squamous and 18 adeno invasive cancers. HPV testing was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using L1 consensus primers; HPV typing was performed using specific primers for low and high risk types. The prevalence of high risk HPV was: LSIL 41%; HSIL 74%; squamous invasive cancers 96% and adeno 100%. HPV 16 is the most represented type in all lesions. We also evaluated the usefulness of p53 typing in the early identification of women at risk for cervical cancer.

Ricerca del DNA di Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida spp. e Trichomonas vaginalis in donne sintomatiche SUMMARY While vaginitis caused by Trichomonas vaginalis is now less frequent, fungal Candida spp. infections are frequently found and the bacterial vaginosis is one of the most common vaginal diseases caused by anaerobic microorganisms such as Gardnerella vaginalis. Purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of a rapid molecular test for the diagnosis of vaginitis/bacterial vaginosis in symptomatic women. In our clinic, between January 2008 -June 2009, we admitted 1592 (388 were pregnant) symptomatic women with a specific request to test them for fungi, Trichomonas and Gardnerella on vaginal fluid.

Genotipizzazione di HPV DNA nelle lesioni intraepiteliali di basso e alto grado SUMMARYThe human papillomavirus (HPV) is certainly one of the few viruses associated with cancer and is present in a significant number of cancers of the anus, penis, vagina, vulva and in almost all cervical cancers.The aim of our work is to evaluate the impact of genotypes high-risk oncogenic (HR) in low-grade (LSIL) and high grade (HSIL) intraepithelial lesions. In it are also evaluated the impact of genotypes low oncogenic risk (LR) and the percentage of non-detection (NR) Papillomavirus DNA Between January 2008 and June 2009 we submitted for HPV DNA genotyping test 392 patients, seronegative for HIV1/2, of which 278 with LSIL and 114 with HSIL. In 250 patients tested positive for HPV DNA HR the type 16 is present in 102 patients (41%), the 18 in 62 (25%), the 31 in 37 patients (15%), the 33 in 13 patients (5%); also was limited the simultaneous presence of 16 and 18 (13 patients 5%) The search for HPV DNA is a modern method of study of cervical pathology. Optimizes the follow-up of intraepithelial lesions and the therapeutic intervention, avoiding the dangers of over/ undertreatment and allows to monitor women treated for cervical pathology.

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