2. Preliminary findings from a pilot study on the effects of interferon-α treatment on human papillomavirus infection in HIV and hepatitis C virus co-infected men

Abstract

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been aetiologically linked with several different cancers. A'few older studies have evaluated the effects of interferon-α (IFN-α) treatment on HPV infection and HPV-related dysplasia. However, findings from these studies may not be generalisable to the more recent formulations of IFN-α used to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Methods: The purpose of this small pilot study was to assess whether treatment for HCV, by pegylated rather than standard IFN-α, was associated with presence or distribution of the types of HPV found in the oral, penile, and anal regions of HIV and HCV co-infected men. Participants completed a validated risk factor questionnaire. The prevalence and types of HPV present in the anal, penile, and oral swabs were determined using the Roche HPV Linear Array (Roche Molecular Systems), according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Results: A total of 33 men were enrolled in this pilot study. Of these, 10 were in the IFN-α-exposed group and 23 were in the IFN-α-naïve comparison group. The IFN-α-naïve group had a higher average number of different HPV types present in penile and oral swabs, but not in anal swabs, compared with the treated group. Conclusions: The results of this small pilot study are preliminary. However, our findings have provided some rationale for continuing to explore whether pegylated IFN-α may be a useful adjuvant therapy, or whether it could be combined with other treatment modalities for controlling HPV infection/disease, specifically of the penis or oral mucosa, among high-risk populations.