Immunological study of condylomata acuminata in men infected with the human immunodeficiency virus

As condylomata acuminata often persist in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), an immunohistological study of warts from infected men was undertaken to further knowledge about human papillomavirus persistence in this group. Using an indirect immunoperoxidase method and a panel of monoclonal antibodies, the phenotypes of cells were studied in cryostat sections of perianal or anal warts removed from 14 HIV-infected men (10 homosexual and 4 heterosexual) and from 16 non-infected men (10 homosexual and 6 heterosexual). Although the median numbers of CD1+, CD3+ and CD4+ cells per unit area were similar in each group of individuals, the number of CD8+ cells was significantly higher in HIV-infected homosexual men when compared with non-infected individuals and HIV-infected heterosexual men. The median CD4+ cell count in the peripheral blood was significantly higher in HIV-infected heterosexual men than in HIV-infected homosexual men (P less than 0.05). These findings may reflect differences in duration of HIV infection between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the proportion of cells expressing interleukin-2 receptors between HIV-infected and non-infected individuals. Natural killer (CD16+) cells were not identified in any of the condylomata.