On the Impact of Therapeutic Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha Inhibition on Anogenital Human Papillomavirus Infection

In this prospective, open, controlled, cross-sectional observational study patients with psoriasis or inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), who received either Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-Alpha) inhibitors or alternates (purine-, folic acid analogues, phototherapy, fumaric ester, mesalazine) for their underlying disease were included. Patients were assigned to the following subgroups according to their current therapy for ≥ 6 months: i) TNF-alpha inhibitor monotherapy; ii) monotherapy with purine or folic acid analogues, such as azathioprin, 6-mercaptopurine, or methotrexate iii) combination therapy with TNF-alpha blocker plus purine or folic acid analogues; iv) alternate therapy, such as phototherapy, fumaric acid, mesalazine. The last group additionally included patients that were without any therapy. Information about duration and severity of illness, current and former disease-related medical treatment, smoking habits and sexual history with emphasis on preexisting human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, including anogenital warts or previous abnormal cervical cytology, and HPV vaccination status were obtained for each patient. Swab samples were taken at one time point from the penile shaft and glans of men, the vulva and cervix in women, and the perianal region of both genders. Detection of mucosal human papillomavirus DNA in the samples was performed using the FDA-approved Digene Hybrid Capture 2 kit. Cervical Papanicolaou (PAP) smears were collected by cytobrush from female patients at the same time. Blood for determination of serological status was drawn from each patient and peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum obtained.