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Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of FAM19A4 and hsa‐mir‐124‐2 hypermethylation as a triage tool for women who are at risk of developing cervical cancer or high‐grade cervical cancer precursor lesions by taking into consideration the cytology report, histology diagnosis, and human papillomavirus (HPV) status. Methods: A total of 330 cervical ThinPrep samples were retrospectively collected and used for DNA isolation. HPV DNA was detected by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and HPV genotypes were identified by Sanger‐based sequencing. DNA extracts were bisulphite‐treated, and hypermethylation of FAM19A4 and hsa‐mir‐124‐2 genes was detected by a quantitative methylation‐specific PCR (qMSP) test using the QIAsure Methylation assay. Results: Hypermethylated genes were detected in 27 (9.6%) cervical samples, mostly found in women diagnosed with high‐grade squamous intraepithelial legions (77.8%) or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3) (72.7%). The sensitivity and the specificity of the qMSP test for predicting CIN3 lesions among women with high‐risk HPV was 75% and 91%, respectively. Discussion/Conclusion: There was a significant correlation between high‐grade cervical cancer precursor lesions and detection of hypermethylated genes in samples positive for high‐risk HPV. Our results suggest that the QIAsure Methylation test can be used as a triage tool to identify women at risk for cervical cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study was aimed at determining the distribution of type-specific human papillomavirus (HPV) in men with cutaneous warts and correlating this with the clinical and morphological presentation of warts.Methods: Cutaneous wart samples were obtained from 167 adult men presenting to a dermatology clinic. The tissues were fixed and screened for HPV DNA using real-time PCR. The HPV genotype was determined by PCR-based sequencing.Results: Nine different HPV genotypes were detected, comprising 6 from the α genus (HPV2, 6, 27b, 57b, 57c, and 94), 2 from the γ genus (HPV4 and 65), and HPV1a from the mu genus. Single HPV infection was encountered in 93.4% of the patients, whereas multiple infections were encountered in only 6.6%. The prevalence of HPV27b was highest among four body sites, followed by HPV57c, 1a, and 2. HPV1a was the most common genotype encountered in multiple infections, followed by HPV27b. Patient age, the number of warts, the duration of the presence of warts, and contact with people who have warts were not predictors of wart location. However, a high number of patients with palmar or common body warts had wart sizes of <1 cm.Conclusions: This study shows that genus α HPV types are detected in about 82% of patients with cutaneous warts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) in the integrase of different HIV-1 subtypes were investigated in a cohort of patients never exposed to integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs). Methods: The viral RNA was extracted from plasma samples of 53 INSTI-naïve patients, and the integrase genetic region was sequenced and analyzed for subtype assignment and drug resistance. Results: The median viral load at sampling was 5.28 × 104 RNA copies/mL. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis showed 85% of the HIV-1 isolates were non-B subtypes, with a predominance of subtypes C (22.6%) and CRF01_AE (26.4%). A total of 52 and 110 mutations were found in the integrase region of HIV-1 B and non-B subtypes, respectively. Nonpolymorphic INSTI-RAMs were not detected in this study. However, the accessory mutation E157Q was found in 1 patient with CRF02_AG, and the polymorphic mutations L74M/I that may contribute to a reduced susceptibility to INSTIs in the presence of major mutations were observed in 6 (13.3%) patients with non-B subtypes and 1 (12.5%) patient with the B subtype. Polymorphic mutations at positions known to harbor primary and accessory RAMs were also detected in this study. Conclusion: Our results highlight the importance of monitoring the emergence of INSTI-RAMS before and after the initiation of INSTI-based therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine Washington University (WU) polyomavirus strains circulating among hospitalized patients with respiratory tract infections (RTI) in Kuwait.Materials and Methods: Samples from 459 hospitalized children and adult RTI patients were screened for respiratory viruses by polymerase chain reaction from April 2013 to April 2016. The VP2 gene from WU virus (WUV)-positive samples was sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis.Results: Of the 459 hospitalized RTI patients, 18 (3.9%) patients were positive for WUV infection. WUV infection was common among children aged ≤11 years (9 patients, 50%). Among the 18 WUV-infected hospitalized patients, viral co-infection was detected in 9 patients (50%). The most common viruses associated with mixed infection were respiratory syncytial virus and human rhinovirus (2 patients, 11.1% each). Of the 18 WUV-infected patients, 4 were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The circulating strains belong to type Ia and IIIb.Conclusion: This study enabled us to detect WUV among hospitalized RTI patients. Co-infection with other respiratory viruses was notable. Two circulating WUV genotypes (Ia and IIIb) were identified among hospitalized RTI patients in Kuwait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]