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Background: Whether higher penile human papillomavirus (HPV) viral load is associated with a lower rate of HPV clearance remains unknown.Objectives: We examined the association between penile HPV16 and HPV18 viral load and subsequent HPV clearance in uncircumcised Kenyan men.Study Design: Participants were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative, sexually active, 18- to 24-year-old men randomized to the control arm of a male circumcision trial in Kisumu, Kenya. Men provided exfoliated penile cells from two anatomical sites (glans/coronal sulcus and shaft) every 6 months for 2 years. GP5+/6+ polymerase chain reaction was used to identify 44 HPV-DNA types. Human papillomavirus viral load testing was conducted using a LightCyler real-time polymerase chain reaction assay; viral load was classified as high (>250 copies/scrape) or low (≤250 copies/scrape), for nonquantifiable values. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression modeling were used to examine the association between HPV viral load and HPV clearance.Results: A total of 1097 men, with 291 HPV16 and 131 HPV18 cumulative infections over 24 months were analyzed. Human papillomavirus clearance at 6 months after first HPV detection was lower for high versus low viral load HPV16 infections in the glans (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.92)] and shaft (aHR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.16-0.90), and HPV18 infections in the glans (aHR, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.17).Discussion: High versus low HPV viral load was associated with a reduced HPV clearance for HPV16 infections in the glans and shaft, and for HPV18 infections in the glans, among young uncircumcised men. Reduced clearance of high viral load HPV16 and HPV18 infections in men may increase HPV transmission to their female partners as well as enhance the development of penile lesions in comparison to men with low viral load HPV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Of new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States, 50% occur among youth aged 15 to 24 years. Previous studies among youth with HIV (YHIV) do not distinguish STI trends among individuals with perinatally (YPHIV) and nonperinatally (YNPHIV) acquired HIV.Methods: Among 3 Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN) studies conducted between 2009 and 2015, we estimated incident diagnoses of trichomonal, bacterial, viral, and overall STIs stratified by sex assigned at birth, mode of HIV acquisition (perinatal [YPHIV] and nonperinatal [YNPHIV]), age (13-17 and 18-24 years), CD4 count (<200, 200-499, and ≥500/μL), and HIV viral load (VL) (<400 and ≥400 copies/mL).Results: Among 3131 YHIV, across the 3 studies, mean (SD) age was 20.6 (2.6) years, 888 (28%) were female, 2498 (80%) had nonperinatal HIV acquisition recorded, and 2298 (73%) were African American/Black. Mean follow-up was 0.9 (0.3) years. Compared with YPHIV, YNPHIV spent less person-time with VL <400 copies/mL (47% vs. 53%) and more time off antiretroviral therapy (49% vs. 15%), and had higher overall STI rates (males, 65.9 vs. 8.5/100 person-years [PY]; females, 54.7 vs. 17.2/100 PY). Among YPHIV, bacterial STIs were higher during person-time spent with VL ≥400 vs. <400 copies/mL (male YPHIV, 10.9 vs. 0.6/100 PY; female YPHIV, 11.2 vs. 2.9/100 PY); no difference was observed among YNPHIV, which may be due to concurrent acquisition of HIV and other STIs and limited follow-up.Conclusions: Compared with YPHIV, YNPHIV spent less time on antiretroviral therapy and virologically suppressed; YNPHIV also had higher STI diagnosis rates. Very high STI diagnosis rates among YHIV, including among those without virologic suppression, highlight the importance of youth-focused efforts to support durable virologic suppression and identify and treat STIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low-income and uninsured people with a cervix (PWC) are at the highest risk of being underscreened for cervical cancer. We evaluated the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) on home self-collected samples, as well as rates of in-clinic follow-up and risk factors associated with hrHPV positivity in this at-risk population.Methods: My Body My Test 3 was conducted between 2016 and 2019 in North Carolina among individuals aged 25 to 64 years, overdue for cervical cancer screening, and with incomes of <250% of the US Federal Poverty Level. Our analytic sample included participants randomized to the self-collection arm who returned self-collected cervicovaginal brush samples for HPV testing (n = 329). Samples were tested for 14 hrHPV types by an HPV RNA assay and further genotyped for HPV-16 and HPV-18/45. We examined behavioral risk factors for hrHPV positivity using logistic regression and between-subject t tests.Results: High-risk HPV RNA prevalence was 16% (n = 52/329) in self-collected samples. Of the hrHPV-positive participants, 24 (46%) presented for in-clinic cervical cancer screening, compared with 56 (20%) of hrHPV-negative participants. Those with ≥2 sexual partners in the past year were twice as likely to be hrHPV positive in adjusted analyses (adjusted odds ratio, 2.00 [95% confidence interval, 1.03-3.88]). High-risk HPV-positive and HPV-negative participants had similar attitudes toward screening, with the exception of hrHPV-positive participants who reported a lower perceived risk of cervical cancer than those who were hrHPV negative (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The hrHPV RNA prevalence was similar to findings in other underscreened PWC in the United States. Efforts to reach underscreened PWC are critical for cervical cancer prevention. Future studies aimed at home self-collection should address methods of increasing clinic attendance and completion of treatment among those with HPV-positive results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the study concerning the penile HPV infection which found in young men in Kisumu, Kenya. The HPV infection was identified as the cause of invasive cervical cancer in women, and men was considered as important in the etiology of invasive cervical cancer. According to the study, a total of 98 young men HIV-seronegative, has participated the circumcising. The penile HPV prevalence was varied by anatomical site including the 50% in penile exfoliated cells from glans, coronal sulcus, and 43% in inner fore-skin tissue.

Background: Self-collection for high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) messenger RNA (mRNA) testing may improve cervical cancer screening. High-risk HPV mRNA with self-collected specimens stored dry could enhance feasibility and acceptance of specimen collection and storage; however, its performance is unknown. We compared the performance of hr-HPV mRNA testing with dry- as compared with wet-stored self-collected specimens for detecting high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or more severe (≥HSIL).Methods: A total of 400 female sex workers in Kenya participated (2013-2018), of which 50% were HIV positive based on enrollment procedures. Participants provided 2 self-collected specimens: one stored dry (sc-DRY) using a Viba brush (Rovers) and one stored wet (sc-WET) with Aptima media (Hologic) using an Evalyn brush (Rovers). Physician-collected specimens were collected for HPV mRNA testing (Aptima) and conventional cytology. We estimated test characteristics for each hr-HPV screening method using conventional cytology as the reference standard (≥HSIL detection). We also examined participant preference for sc-DRY and sc-WET collection.Results: High-risk HPV mRNA positivity was higher in sc-WET (36.8%) than sc-DRY samples (31.8%). Prevalence of ≥HSIL was 6.9% (10.3% HIV positive, 4.0% HIV negative). Sensitivity of hr-HPV mRNA for detecting ≥HSIL was similar in sc-WET (85%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 66%-96%), sc-DRY specimens (78%; 95% CI, 58%-91%), and physician-collected specimens (93%; 95% CI, 76%-99%). Overall, the specificity of hr-HPV mRNA for ≥HSIL detection was similar when comparing sc-WET with physician collection. However, specificity was lower for sc-WET (66% [61%-71%]) than sc-DRY (71% [66%-76%]). Women preferred sc-DRY specimen collection (46.1%) compared with sc-WET (31.1%). However, more women preferred physician collection (63.9%) compared with self-collection (36.1%).Conclusions: Self-collected stored-dry specimens seemed to perform similarly to sc-WET for the detection of ≥HSIL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus self-testing (HIVST) holds great promise for reaching high-risk key populations who do not access facility-based services. We sought to characterize unsupervised HIVST implementation among men who have sex with men in China.Methods: We conducted a nationwide online survey in China. Eligible men were at least 16 years, had anal sex with a man, and had recent condomless sex. We assessed benefits (first-time testing, increased testing frequency, confirmatory testing) and potential harms (coercion, violence, suicidality) of HIVST. Among men who have sex with men who reported ever testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), we identified correlates of HIVST as first-time HIV test being a self-test using multivariable logistic regression.Results: Among 1610 men who met the eligibility criteria and started the survey, 1189 (74%) completed it. Three hundred forty-one (29%) of 1189 reported ever self-testing for HIV. Human immunodeficiency virus prevalence was 7% (24/341) among self-testers and 5% (15/306) among non-self-testers. Two hundred (59%) of 341 men who self-tested reported HIVST as a first-time HIV test. Thirty-one (9%) men experienced coercion with HIVST. Thirty-one (78%) of 40 men with positive HIV self-tests sought confirmation. Multivariable analysis revealed that HIVST as first-time HIV test was associated with younger age (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92-0.99), not being "out" (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.60-3.28), not using the internet to meet sex partners (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.22-0.69), and group sex (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.02-2.9).Conclusions: Human immunodeficiency virus self-testing reached high-risk individuals that had never received facility-based testing. Further implementation research is needed to better understand HIVST outside of research programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited data are available on whether sampling from the penile shaft or urethra increases detection of penile HPV infection in men beyond that found in the glans and coronal sulcus.Methods: Within a randomized clinical trial, a validation study of penile sampling was conducted in Kisumu, Kenya. Young men (18-24 years) were invited to provide penile exfoliated cells using prewetted Dacron swabs to determine the best site for HPV detection. beta-Globin gene PCR and HPV DNA type GP5+/6+ PCR status were ascertained from 3 anatomical sites.Results: A total of 98 young HIV-seronegative, uncircumcised men participated. Penile HPV prevalence varied by anatomical site: 50% in penile exfoliated cells from the glans, coronal sulcus, and inner foreskin tissue; 43% in the shaft and external foreskin tissue; and 18% in the urethra (P <0.0001). For each anatomical site, over 87% of samples were beta-globin positive. Beyond that found in the glans/coronal sulcus, urethral sampling resulted in no increase in HPV positivity and shaft sampling resulted in an additional 7.3% of overall HPV positivity. The prevalence of high-risk HPV positivity varied by anatomical site: 39% in glans/coronal sulcus, 31% in shaft, and 13% in the urethra (P <0.0001). HPV 16 was the most common type identified.Discussion: Penile HPV prevalence was approximately 50% among young men in Kisumu, Kenya. Urethral sampling for HPV detection in men added no sensitivity for HPV detection over that found from sampling the glans/coronal sulcus and penile shaft. These data will help inform studies on HPV transmission dynamics, and on the efficacy of HPV prophylactic vaccines on penile HPV carriage in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]