No Evidence for Human Papillomavirus in Patients with HIV in Iran

Background and Aims: Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) have an established role in the development of cervical cancer. However, the presence of underlying conditions such as HIV/AIDS is a factor for the development of this malignancy. This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HPV DNA in plasma samples from HIV-positive patients in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: Plasma specimens from 95 patients diagnosed with HIV infection from Tehran’s hospitals were examined for the presence of HPV DNA by means of a Real- Time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with the amplification of a fragment of L1 region of the HPV genome. Furthermore, HIV viral load testing was performed for all patients using the COBAS TaqMan assay. Results: Out of 95 patients, 59 (62%) and 36 (38%) of the cases were males and females, respectively. The mean age of the patients was 37.42 ± 11.25 (range 2–69) years. The mean HIV viral load of all patients with HIV was 73010.754 copies per ml. None of the 95 HIVpositive patients tested had HPV DNA detected in their plasma by Real-Time PCR assay. Conclusions: Previous studies have suggested that patients with HIV infection are at risk for acquiring HPV infection. However, we have shown no evidence of HPV DNA in plasma samples of patients with HIV.