Detection of human cytomegalovirus in female and male anogenital lesions with papillomavirus-associated dysplastic changes.

The aim of the study was to determine the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in lesions from mucosal and keratinized cutaneous epithelium of the anogenital tract. One hundred ninety-eight women and 55 men with anogenital lesions were enrolled for the study. Biopsies were prepared for histological analysis and in situ hybridization using biotinylated probes. Potential oncogenic HPV were found in 15% of samples showing no outward signs of HPV infection or inflammation. They were detected in 40% of samples showing low grade squamous intra-epithelial lesions (SIL) and in 95 to 100% of lesions showing high-grade SIL. Cytomegalovirus DNA was detected twice as frequently in women as in men, and was preferentially associated with high-grade SIL. A significant relationship between high-risk HPVs and the presence of CMV was observed in the low-grade lesions. Our data suggest that the CMV genome in the host epithelial cells might act as a permissive factor upon which oncogenic HPV could interact over time to increase the frequency and severity of cervical, penile, and anal dysplasia.