Background Common and plantar warts are caused by human papillomaviruses (HPV). Mode of transmission of wart HPVs within families is largely unknown. Objective To demonstrate similarity of HPV type... Show moreBackground Common and plantar warts are caused by human papillomaviruses (HPV). Mode of transmission of wart HPVs within families is largely unknown. Objective To demonstrate similarity of HPV type(s) among wart cases, family members and household linen. Methods In a cross-sectional study, swabs taken from 123 warts and foreheads of 62 index patients and 157 family members and from 58 kitchen towels and 59 bathroom mats were tested for DNA of 23 cutaneous wart-associated HPV types. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to estimate the chance of detecting the same HPV type as was found in the index patients on the family contacts and on the kitchen towels and bathroom mats. Results HPV1, HPV2, HPV27 and HPV57 were the most prevalent types in the warts of the index patients. Altogether, 60 (42.3%) of the 142 family members without warts had HPV DNA on their foreheads. When HPV1 and HPV2 were found in the warts, these types were also frequently (>50%) found on the foreheads of index patients and their family members, as well as on the kitchen towels and the bathroom mats. HPV27 and HPV57 were less frequently found (<25%) on foreheads and linen. No associations were found for age, sex and site of HPV DNA presence. Conclusion Dissemination of skin wart-causing HPV types, from wart cases to household contacts and linen, such as kitchen towels and bathroom mats, is more likely for HPV1 and HPV2 than for HPV27 and HPV57. The role of towels and bathroom mats in HPV transmission deserves further investigation. Show less
Rijsbergen, M.; Rijneveld, R.; Todd, M.; Feiss, G.L.; Kouwenhoven, S.T.P.; Quint, K.D.; ... ; Poelgeest, M.I.E. van 2020
AIMS\nMETHODS\nRESULTS\nCONCLUSION\n To assess safety and tolerability and explore pharmacodynamics and efficacy of omiganan in external anogenital warts (AGW) and vulvar high-grade squamous... Show moreAIMS\nMETHODS\nRESULTS\nCONCLUSION\n To assess safety and tolerability and explore pharmacodynamics and efficacy of omiganan in external anogenital warts (AGW) and vulvar high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL).\nTwo randomized controlled trials in patients with external AGW and vulvar HSIL were conducted. Patients received topical omiganan 2.5% or placebo gel once daily for 12 weeks with a follow-up of 12 weeks. Safety and tolerability were monitored and pharmacodynamics and clinical efficacy of omiganan were assessed by analysing lesion count, size and viral load. Self-reported pain, itch and quality of life were assessed by an electronic diary and questionnaire.\nTwenty-four AGW and 12 vulvar HSIL patients were enrolled. All patients had a high treatment adherence (99%). No serious adverse events occurred and all adverse events (n = 27) were mild, transient and self-limiting. The treatment groups were not different in terms of safety and tolerability, lesion count and size, and patient-reported outcomes pain, itch and quality of life. Human papillomavirus load significantly reduced after 12 weeks of treatment with omiganan compared to placebo (-96.6%; 95% confidence interval -99.9 to -7.4%; P = .045) in AGW patients only.\nTopical omiganan appears to be safe in patients with AGW and vulvar HSIL and reduced human papillomavirus load after 12 weeks of treatment in AGW patients. Show less
Background Male genital lichen sclerosus (MGLSc) is a chronic inflammatory scarring dermatosis associated with penile carcinoma. The prepuce is pivotal in its etiology. Other proposed etiological... Show moreBackground Male genital lichen sclerosus (MGLSc) is a chronic inflammatory scarring dermatosis associated with penile carcinoma. The prepuce is pivotal in its etiology. Other proposed etiological factors are the subject of dispute and include occluded urinary exposure, autoimmunity, immunodysregulation, and infectious agents.Objective To determine whether the bacterial microbiota of the balanopreputial sac and urine are associated with MGLSc. Subjects and methods Twenty uncircumcised patients with MGLSc and 20 healthy uncircumcised males were enrolled in a prospective case-control study. Balanopreputial swabs and urine specimens were subjected to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.Results Microbiota analysis indicated differences between the groups. In the balanopreputial sac, the median relative abundance of Finegoldia spp. was lower (9% [range 0-60%]) in MGLSc patients than in controls (28% [range 0-62%]). Conversely, the median relative abundance of Fusobacterium spp. was higher in MGLSc patients (4% [range 0-41%]) than in controls (0% [range 0-28%]). In the urine, the median relative abundance of Finegoldia spp. was comparable between groups, whereas that of Fusobacterium spp. was higher in MGLSc patients (0% [range 0-18%] vs. 0% [range 05%]). There was a strong association between the microbiota composition of the balanopreputial sac and urine in MGLSc.Conclusion Dysbiosis could be involved in the etiopathogenesis of MGLSc. Further studies are required to confirm the association suggested herein and to determine its nature. Show less
Rijsbergen, M.; Rijneveld, R.; Todd, M.; Feiss, G.L.; Kouwenhoven, S.T.P.; Quint, K.D.; ... ; Poelgeest, M.I.E. van 2020
Aims To assess safety and tolerability and explore pharmacodynamics and efficacy of omiganan in external anogenital warts (AGW) and vulvar high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL).... Show moreAims To assess safety and tolerability and explore pharmacodynamics and efficacy of omiganan in external anogenital warts (AGW) and vulvar high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). Methods Two randomized controlled trials in patients with external AGW and vulvar HSIL were conducted. Patients received topical omiganan 2.5% or placebo gel once daily for 12 weeks with a follow-up of 12 weeks. Safety and tolerability were monitored and pharmacodynamics and clinical efficacy of omiganan were assessed by analysing lesion count, size and viral load. Self-reported pain, itch and quality of life were assessed by an electronic diary and questionnaire. Results Twenty-four AGW and 12 vulvar HSIL patients were enrolled. All patients had a high treatment adherence (99%). No serious adverse events occurred and all adverse events (n =27) were mild, transient and self-limiting. The treatment groups were not different in terms of safety and tolerability, lesion count and size, and patient-reported outcomes pain, itch and quality of life. Human papillomavirus load significantly reduced after 12 weeks of treatment with omiganan compared to placebo (-96.6%; 95% confidence interval -99.9 to -7.4%;P =.045) in AGW patients only. Conclusion Topical omiganan appears to be safe in patients with AGW and vulvar HSIL and reduced human papillomavirus load after 12 weeks of treatment in AGW patients. Show less
Munckhof, E.H.A. van den; Hafkamp, H.C.; Kluijver, J. de; Kuijper, E.J.; Koning, M.N.C. de; Quint, W.G.V.; Knetsch, C.W. 2020
BackgroundThe elderly (>= 65years) are one of the populations most at risk for respiratory tract infections (RTIs). The aim of this study was to determine whether nasal and/or oropharyngeal... Show moreBackgroundThe elderly (>= 65years) are one of the populations most at risk for respiratory tract infections (RTIs). The aim of this study was to determine whether nasal and/or oropharyngeal microbiota profiles are associated with age and RTIs.MethodsNasal and oropharyngeal swabs of 152 controls and 152 patients with an RTI were included. The latter group consisted of 72 patients with an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and 80 with a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). Both nasal and oropharyngeal swabs were subjected to microbiota profiling using amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Moraxella species were determined using quantitative real-time PCR and culture.ResultsBased on the microbiota profiles of the controls and the patients with an RTI, eight nasal and nine oropharyngeal microbiota clusters were defined. Nasal microbiota dominated by either Moraxella catarrhalis or Moraxella nonliquefaciens was significantly more prevalent in elderly compared to mid-aged adults in the control group (p=0.002). Dominance by M. catarrhalis/nonliquefaciens was significantly less prevalent in elderly with an LRTI (p=0.001) compared to controls with similar age.ConclusionsNasal microbiota dominated by M. catarrhalis/nonliquefaciens is associated with respiratory health in the elderly population. Show less
Rijsbergen, M.; Rijneveld, R.; Todd, M.; Pagan, L.; Feiss, G.; Koning, M.N.C. de; ... ; Poelgeest, M.I.E. van 2019
AbstractBACKGROUND: The clinical appearance of cutaneous warts is highly variable and not standardized.OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a reproducible clinical tool for the standardized... Show moreAbstractBACKGROUND: The clinical appearance of cutaneous warts is highly variable and not standardized.OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a reproducible clinical tool for the standardized assessment of cutaneous warts to distinguish these lesions accurately.METHODS: Nine morphological characteristics were defined and validated regarding intra- and interobserver agreement. Based on literature and semistructured interviews, a systematic dichotomous assessment tool, the Cutaneous WARTS (CWARTS) diagnostic tool was developed. The validation consisted of two independent parts performed with photographs from the recent WARTS-2 trial. In part A, the CWARTS diagnostic tool was tested by 28 experienced physicians who assessed photographs of 10 different warts to investigate interobserver concordance. In part B, morphological characteristics were validated by masked and independent scoring of 299 photographs by six different observers. Part B also entailed reassessment of the photographs after at least 1 week. The primary outcome measurement was the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).RESULTS: Presence of black dots (capillary thrombosis) had the greatest ICC (0·85) for interobserver agreement in part A, followed by arrangement (0·65), presence of border erythema (0·64) and sharpness of the border (0·60). In part B, results were similar for interobserver agreement with presence of black dots having the highest ICC (0·68), followed by border erythema (0·64), arrangement (0·58) and colour (0·55). For intraobserver agreement, presence of black dots had the highest agreement (0·70), followed by presence of border erythema (0·694) and colour (0·59).CONCLUSIONS: Wart phenotype can be reliably assessed using the CWARTS diagnostic tool. Show less
AbstractBACKGROUND: Cutaneous warts have a cure rate after therapy of no more than approximately 50%. Recently, we developed and validated a standard assessment tool for warts (Cutaneous WARTS... Show moreAbstractBACKGROUND: Cutaneous warts have a cure rate after therapy of no more than approximately 50%. Recently, we developed and validated a standard assessment tool for warts (Cutaneous WARTS diagnostic tool, CWARTS) based on phenotypical characteristics.OBJECTIVES: To assess whether patient and morphological wart characteristics predict the human papillomavirus (HPV) type in a specific wart and whether these characteristics as well as the HPV type predict a favourable treatment response.METHODS: Photographs were used to score nine morphological wart characteristics using the newly developed CWARTS tool. Genotyping of 23 wart-associated HPV types was performed using the hyperkeratotic skin lesion-polymerase chain reaction/multiplex genotyping assay. The results were correlated with a favourable response to treatment with monochloroacetic acid, cryotherapy or a combination of cryotherapy and salicylic acid. Odds ratios were calculated using logistic regression in a generalized estimating equations model.RESULTS: Black dots (capillary thrombosis) strongly predicted the presence of any HPV type in a wart. From all characteristics tested, the HPV type most strongly predicted the treatment response when the warts were treated with monochloroacetic acid or a combination of cryotherapy and salicylic acid with a significantly decreased treatment response if the warts contained HPVs of the alpha genus (HPV2, HPV27 or HPV57). When cryotherapy alone was used for common warts, HPV type did not play a role, but cryotherapy was less effective in the presence of callus and when the wart was located deeper in the skin.CONCLUSIONS: Morphological characteristics of the warts and the HPV genotype influence treatment outcome and thus potentially influence future treatment decisions for common and plantar warts Show less
