Agneta Andersson-Ellström

Comparison of Development of Serum Antibodies to HPV16 and HPV33 and Acquisition of Cervical HPV DNA Among Sexually Experienced and Virginal Young Girls: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

Objectives: To study the importance of sexual activity and early coitus debut on the risk for acquiring infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 or 33. Study Design: Ninety‐eight healthy adolescent girls were followed up with consecutive interviews and donations of serum and cervical brush samples during 2 years. Results: Fourteen percent of sexually experienced girls had serum immunoglobulin G to HPV16 and/or HPV33 capsids, and 14% also had cervical HPV16 or HPV33 DNA. Seropositivity for HPV correlated with detection of cervical HPV DNA. None of the 36 girls without coital experience was seropositive or harbored cervical HPV DNA. Seropositivity for HPV was correlated strongly with the number of sexual partners: Odds ratio for >1 sexual partner was 16.3 (P < 0.001), and for early coitus debut (younger than 17 years of age), it was 14.3 (P < 0.002). Conclusions: Both HPV serology and HPV DNA testing indicated that the number of sexual partners and earliness of coitus debut determined the risk for acquiring HPV infection and that nonsexually transmitted infections are rare or nonexistent among adolescent girls.

Long term risk of invasive cancer after treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3: population based cohort study

Objective To study the long term risk of invasive cancer of the cervix or vagina after treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Swedish cancer registry. Participants All women in Sweden with severe dysplasia or cervical carcinoma in situ (equivalent to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3) treated during 1958-2002 (n=132 493) contributing 2 315 724 woman years. Main outcome measures Standardised incidence ratios with risk of cancer in the Swedish general female population as reference, and relative risks in multivariable log-linear regression model, with internal references. Results Women with previous cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 had an increased risk of invasive cervical cancer compared with the general female population (standardised incidence ratio 2.34, 95% confidence interval 2.18 to 2.50). The increased risk showed a decreasing trend with time since diagnosis for women treated later than 1970 but the risk was still increased after 25 years. An effect of age was found, with an accentuated increase in risk for women aged more than 50. The excess risk for cervical cancer associated with previous cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 has steadily increased since 1958. For vaginal cancer the standardised incidence ratio was 6.82 (5.61 to 8.21) but this decreased to 2.65 after 25 years. Adjustments in the multivariable log-linear regression model did not substantially alter these results. Conclusions Women previously treated for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 are at an increased risk of developing invasive cervical cancer and vaginal cancer. This risk has increased since the 1960s and is accentuated in women aged more than 50. The risk is still increased 25 years after treatment.

Age of sexual debut related to life-style and reproductive health factors in a group of Swedish teenage girls

Aim. To compare life‐style and reproductive health care factors in girls with a coitus debut < 15 years of age and girls with a later debut.

Liquid-based cytology versus conventional Papanicolaou smear in an organized screening program : a prospective randomized study.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether liquid‐based cytology (LBC) can improve high‐standard cervical cancer screening cytology further. The primary endpoint was histopathologic high‐grade lesions in current and subsequent screening rounds. The secondary endpoints were cytologic diagnosis and inadequate samples.

Women's experience of coping with a positive Pap smear: a register‐based study of women with two consecutive Pap smears reported as CIN 1

Background.  In Sweden approximately 40 000 women receive information annually that their Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test showed dysplasia and about 400 women are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate women 5 years after two consecutive Pap smears diagnosed with mild dysplasia (CIN 1), by describing their experience of receiving information about the results of the smear and how examinations, treatment and follow‐up had affected them.

Knowledge and attitudes about the Pap-smear screening program: a population-based study of women aged 20-59 years

Background.  The aim of the Papanicolau (Pap)‐smear screening program is to reduce morbidity and mortality resulting from cervix cancer. Compliance to screening has previously been suggested to be associated with womens knowledge. The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge about and attitudes to gynecologic Pap‐smear screening among women in a Swedish region where a screening program has been in existence since 1970.

High risk genital papillomavirus infections are not spread vertically

The Medline‐indexed literature on risk factors for HPV infection and HPV transmission is critically reviewed. Principles for assay validation and interpretation, reliability of different study designs and principles for interpretation of conflicting reports are discussed. The conclusions arrived at can be summarised as: (1) There is overwhelming epidemiological evidence that the only quantitatively important mode of transmission of infection with oncogenic genital HPV types is sexual. (2) There is also evidence that benign genital HPV types can be transmitted sexually, but the epidemiological data on the benign virus types are less extensive and less clear. (3) Perinatal HPV transmission is unequivocally demonstrated only for the rare disease juvenile respiratory papillomatosis. Copyright

A randomized trial of basing treatment on human papillomavirus and/or cytology results in low-grade cervical lesion triage

OBJECTIVE This study was undertaken to compare management algorithms that base treatment with loop electrosurgical excision procedure on human papillomavirus and/or repeat Papanicolaou test smear results. STUDY DESIGN A randomized trial that referred 674 women with either atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions cytology results, detected in organized screening to treatment either (1) if they were positive in a repeat Papanicolaou test smear and/or a human papillomavirus test or (2) if they were positive in the repeat Papanicolaou test smear test only. Women who tested positive were treated, regardless of colposcopic findings. RESULTS There were 208 of 337 (62%) women who were treated in the human papillomavirus /Papanicolaou test smear group (187/337 because of HPV positivity) and 138 of 337 (41%) in the Papanicolaou test smear only group. Histopathologically diagnosed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse was found among 112 of 337 (33.2%) women in the human papillomavirus/Papanicolaou test smear group compared with 85 of 337 (25.2%) women in the Papanicolaou test smear only group (P < .05). Twenty-one women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ had normal colposcopy. CONCLUSION For adequate cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ sensitivity, the decision to use loop electrosurgical excision procedure needs to be based on human papillomavirus testing results and should not exclude women with normal colposcopy.

Seropositivity to human herpesvirus 8 in relation to sexual history and risk of sexually transmitted infections among women.

The mode of transmission of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) was investigated in two seroepidemiological studies of Swedish women who completed a questionnaire about sexual behavior. Seropositivity for HHV8 antibodies, measured using an indirect immunofluorescence assay, was linked to a high number (>10) of sexual partners (P < 0.004). It also correlated strongly with a history of other sexually transmitted diseases (STD; P < 0.0001), in particular with a history of Chlamydia trachomatis infection and condyloma acuminata. There was appreciable HHV8 seropositivity already among virginal or monogamous women (9%). In summary, HHV8 transmission to women in Sweden may occur nonsexually. When sexual transmission occurs, it appears to be associated with high risk‐taking sexual behavior. Int. J. Cancer 87:232–235, 2000.

Prevalence of Antibodies to Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2, Epstein-Barr Virus and Cytomegalovirus in Teenage Girls

Seropositivity to herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes virus type 2 (HSV-2), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was estimated in a group of 98 16-year-old Swedish girls. Antibodies to HSV-1 were seen in 41% of the girls and to HSV-2 in 1%, and antibodies to CMV in 45 and to EBV in 82%. In girls with coitus experience, there was significantly higher prevalence of HSV-1 and EBV antibodies, compared with girls with no sexual contact. The age of coitarche or number of coitus partners did not affect the rate of seropositivity. During 2 years of follow-up, 13 girls seroconverted. All but one EBV-seroconverting girl, were sexually active, and no girl converted for more than one type of virus. We concluded that transmission of herpes viruses is common in adolescence, and sexuality, even with regard to its close association with kissing, is one important determinant.