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Published on: October 12, 2018
Human papillomavirus infections in nonsexually active perinatally HIV infected children
Anna-Barbara Moscicki1, Ana Puga, Sepideh Farhat
11 Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco , San Francisco, California.
Insights
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is present in perinatally HIV-positive children, with higher rates in girls. This finding is crucial for understanding HPV vaccination efficacy in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
- Virology
Background:
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) is common in adults with HIV, but data on children, especially those perinatally infected, is limited.
- Understanding HPV prevalence in perinatally HIV-positive (PHIV+) children is essential for public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of oral and anogenital HPV in nonsexually active (NSA) perinatally HIV-positive (PHIV+) children.
- To compare HPV prevalence between PHIV+ children and HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) children.
Main Methods:
- A convenience sample of PHIV+ and HEU children attending a pediatric clinic were enrolled.
- Oral and anogenital samples were collected and tested for 37 HPV types.
- Children were categorized as PHIV+ or HEU, and by age group.
Main Results:
- Among PHIV+ girls, 30.4% had anogenital HPV and 17% had oral HPV. Among HEU girls, 7.4% had anogenital HPV and 0% had oral HPV.
- Among PHIV+ boys, 17.4% had anogenital HPV and 4% had oral HPV. Among HEU boys, 12.5% had anogenital HPV and 4% had oral HPV.
- HPV rates did not differ by age in PHIV+ children, but older HEU children showed a trend towards higher HPV prevalence.
Conclusions:
- The presence of HPV in nonsexually active perinatally HIV-positive children warrants further investigation.
- Findings may have implications for the efficacy of HPV vaccination strategies in PHIV+ children.
- Further research is needed to address the age gap and enable direct comparison of HPV prevalence by HIV status.
Abstract:
Although human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are common in HIV-infected adults, little is known about children. Our objective was to examine the prevalence of and risks for HPV of the oral mucosal and external genital areas in nonsexually active (NSA) perinatally (P) HIV+ children and compare with HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) children. A convenience sample attending a pediatric clinic were enrolled. Samples for HPV were obtained from the oral and anogenital areas and tested for one of 37 HPV types. The mean age of the 48 PHIV+ children was 14.3±3.9 years vs. 6.2±4.8 for the 52 HEU (p<0.001). Of the 23 PHIV+ girls, 30.4% had anogenital and 17% had oral HPV, and of the 27 HEU girls, 2 (7.4%) anogenital and 0 had oral HPV. Of the boys, 4/23 (17.4%) and 1/25 (4%) PHIV+ had anogenital and oral HPV, respectively, and 3/24 (12.5%) and 1/25 (4%) HEU had anogenital and oral HPV, respectively. Rates of HPV did not differ by age among the PHIV+, whereas older HEU were more likely to have HPV than younger HEU (p=0.07). This large age gap precluded statistical comparison by HIV status. The presence of HPV in NSA PHIV+ children may have implications regarding HPV vaccination efficacy.
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