Cervical Cancer is a preventable disease. Sadly it is a cause morbidity and mortality of women in poor socio-economic settings worldwide, largely due to avoidable factors. This amounts to a gross violation of the rights to life and access to healthcare of vulnerable populations of women. Awareness, sensitisation and mobilisation of the civil society could be crucial in influencing change in political will and healthcare policies to address the needs of HIV infected women, in particular, given their susceptibility to the development of cervical cancer. This work advocates for the South African government to further commit resources towards the prevention of cervical cancer, including hysterectomy in women at high risk of developing cervical cancer before it ensues. / Mini Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Public Law / MPhil / Unrestricted

Orientador: Marilia de Freitas Calmon / Resumo: O câncer cervical é um problema de saúde pública mundial, especialmente devido à sua relação com a infecção prévia pelo papilomavírus humano (HPV). Os HPV são uma família de vírus de DNA com mais de 200 tipos e podem ser classificados em HPVs de baixo e alto risco. Os HPVs de alto risco mais relevantes são os HPV-16 e -18, que juntos são responsáveis por mais de 70% dos casos de carcinoma cervical. As modalidades atuais de tratamento para o câncer cervical são cirurgia, e a combinação de quimioterapia à base de cisplatina com radiação, porém apresentam efeitos adversos graves. Portanto, esforços contínuos são necessários para desenvolver novas drogas e estratégias terapêuticas eficazes para aumentar a eficácia da quimioterapia e diminuir esses efeitos colaterais. A emodina tem atraído grande atenção devido a seu efeito anti-inflamatório, antineoplásico e proapoptótico nos últimos anos. Além disso, a emodina pode ser utilizada como agente fotossensibilizador na terapia fotodinâmica. O interesse na terapia fotodinâmica no tratamento do câncer tem crescido exponencialmente, uma vez que é um tratamento minimamente invasivo, onde se erradica as células alvo, evitando-se a toxicidade sistêmica e os efeitos colaterais nos tecidos saudáveis. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o efeito da emodina associada à terapia fotodinâmica em linhagens de carcinoma cervical infectadas por HPV de alto risco (SiHa e CaSki) e queratinócitos humanos imortalizados (HaCaT). Inicialmente, as i... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Cervical cancer is a worldwide public health problem, especially due to its relation to the previous infection by human papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV is a family of DNA viruses with more than 200 types, and can be classified in low and high risk HPVs. The most important high risk HPVs are the HPV-16 and -18, which together are responsible for more than 70% cervical carcinoma cases. Current treatment modalities for cervical cancer are surgery, and the combination of cisplatin based chemotherapy with radiation, however they present severe adverse effects. Therefore, ongoing efforts are necessary to developed new drugs and effective therapeutic strategies to enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy and decrease these side effects. Emodin has attracted extensive attention due to its anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, and proapoptotic effects in recent years. Furthermore, emodin may be used as a photosensitizing agent in photodynamic therapy. The interest in photodynamic therapy in the treatment of cancer has grown exponentially, since it is a minimally invasive treatment where eradicate target cells while avoiding systemic toxicity and side effects on healthy tissues. So, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect of emodin associated with photodynamic therapy in cervical carcinoma cell lines infected with high-risk HPV (SiHa and CaSki) and immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT). Initially, the investigations demonstrated that emodin presented cytotoxicity in concentration and ti... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Knowledge and attitudes to HPV immunisation IV Author: Tereza Jelínková Thesis supervisor: PharmDr. Eva Zimčíková, Ph.D. Introduction HPV infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases causing, apart from genital warts, other malignancies, most often cervical cancer. The most effective way of prevention is vaccination. So far, there have been 3 types of vaccines, most recent one being the nonavalent vaccine providing up to 90 % protection against cervical cancer- causing HPV, in contrast to the previously available 70 % protection from bivalent or quadrivalent vaccines. Aims The main aim of this thesis was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes towards vaccination against HPV, and knowledge about HPV in general, among secondary school students. Furthermore, to determine their vaccination status and compare the findings with data from previous theses, including a comparison of their knowledge about HPV and relevant prevention. Methodology The data was obtained by means of a questionnaire survey, which took place at three secondary schools. In December 2017 at Gymnázium in Mladá Boleslav, then during June 2018 at Gymnázium in Brandýs nad Labem, and finally in September 2018 at Gymnázium Chotěboř. The obtained data was recorded in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and then...

Human papillomavirus is the most frequently occurring sexually transmitted infection and has been recognized as the necessary cause of cervical cancer. Understanding the shift in public awareness caused by recent changes to cervical prevention is critical to addressing cervical cancer disparities in Appalachia. Since the human papillomavirus vaccine was approved for prevention, little data have been collected regarding human papillomavirus risk assessment and vaccine perceptions among Appalachian women. The purpose of the authors in this study was to investigate communication and cultural issues via a social scripting framework that could influence human papillomavirus vaccine uptake among southern Appalachian women; and explore participants' perceptions of human papillomavirus, cervical cancer, and the vaccine. A qualitative, descriptive design was employed to examine these issues in eight counties in northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia. Thirty-nine women aged 18-49 years participated in a single individual interview or focus group session from October 2007 through August 2008. Interview and focus group data were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Two major themes emerged from the data: the human papillomavirus vaccine protection dilemma and spheres of silence surrounding the human papillomavirus vaccine protection dilemma. Study findings suggested areas for future research and may assist healthcare professionals in approaching southern Appalachian women as they make decisions regarding cervical cancer prevention.

Purpose of Review: Recent technological developments have vastly improved our ability to study the host microbiome and its role in many disease states. Numerous other reviews have contributed to our understanding of single viruses and gut microbiota or immunological outcomes. Here, we report, in aggregate, the newest data on genital microbiota interactions with the three most common viral STIs. Recent Findings: Four themes emerge: (1) the repeatability of specific community state types corresponding with infection risk, (2) a role for the microbiota as both therapeutic target and major player in treatment efficacy, (3) a need for models in which to study the mechanisms at play in microbiota/virus interactions, and (4) the impact of microbiota populating external genitalia on viral transmission. Summary: The studies reviewed herein suggest a convoluted interplay between host microbiota and viral STIs. More mechanistic studies are needed in order to leverage these interactions to improve prevention and treatment strategies.

Cancer metastasis is a highly complex process and is of great clinical importance since majority of cancer related mortality is associated with metastatic disease rather than primary tumor. The fact that cancer metastasis can develop years or even decades after primary tumor diagnosis, makes this process even more complex and therefore its understanding is of vital importance. Cervical cancer (CxC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed and cause of death among gynecologic cancers worldwide. In this chapter, our aim is to provide a broad overview of risk factors, modes of metastasis and major molecular factors and signaling pathways involved in the progression and metastasis of CxC. The understanding of these factors will enhance the knowledge of CxC pathogenesis and targeting these pathways would help combat against CxC and its metastasis.

Sarcoid-like tumours have been reported in Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra) in two South African game parks recently. These tumours caused severe distress to the animals and also made them unsightly for tourists visiting the parks. The aim of this investigation was to identify and characterize the infectious agent considered to be involved in the aetiology of sarcoid in the Cape mountain zebra. Bovine papillomaviruses (BPV) -1 and -2 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in sarcoid tumour tissue, but not from blood specimens or unaffected skin. Differentiation between BPV-1 and -2 was made by using the restriction endonuclease BstXI on PCR products of the E5 open reading frame (ORF). A hybridization probe real-time assay was developed for the specific and sensitive detection and differentiation of BPV-1 and -2 DNA in blood, skin and sarcoid tumour samples. For the specific detection of BPV-1, an increase in fluorescence was detected at 640 nm and of BPV-2 at 705 nm. The test is extremely sensitive and able to detect 1.5 genome copies/reaction. The presence of BPV-1 and -2 DNA could be demonstrated in the blood of sarcoid-affected and -unaffected zebras even in the blood of zebras from parks where sarcoids have never been observed. The phylogenetic relationships of the papillomaviruses detected in tumours in the Cape mountain zebra in comparison with a broad selection of papillomavirus sequences available in GenBank were compiled. The papillomavirus sequences retrieved from the zebras were identified as variants of either BPV-1 or BPV-2. The age of the most recent common ancestor for BPV-1 variants is estimated to be 1.40 million years (Mya) and for BPV-2 variants, 0.55 Mya. The age of the most recent common ancestor of BPV-1 and BPV-2 is estimated to be 5.34 Mya. Certain major histocompatibility (MHC) haplotypes are associated with increased risk of sarcoid tumours in horses. The zebras in these parks may have become inbred for the MHC region with increased prevalence for a haplotype, conferring increased risk for sarcoid tumours. Therefore typing system was developed to determine whether or not a high prevalence of sarcoids among zebras is associated with a MHC haplotype. Single strand conformational polymorphism was used to assess the genetic variation in MHC class II genes. The use of DQB and DRB genes demonstrated that genetic variation and sarcoids in the zebras could not be attributed to a specific haplotype. The developed real-time PCR technique was also applied in the detection of cutaneous papillomavirus in two giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) which were manifesting cutaneous papillomatosis, in the Kruger National Park and in a fibropapilloma in a sable antelope (Hippotragus niger), on a game farm in the Kimberley district, South Africa. In conclusion, this was the first study to confirm the presence of BPV-1 and -2 DNA in the sarcoid tumours, healthy skin and blood of sarcoid-affected and healthy free-roaming zebras from sarcoidaffected parks. The presence of BPV-1 and -2 DNA in the blood of zebras from parks where sarcoids have not been previously observed was a significant finding. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / unrestricted

Although the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and is available for males and females, completion of the 3-shot series in Georgia remains relatively low. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictors of HPV vaccination initiation and completion for male and female adolescents, ages 13 to 17 years old, in Georgia between 2013 and 2015. The theoretical foundation of the study was the structural model of health behavior which is an ecological model. Logistic regression was performed to determine if there was any relationship between the independent variables of parental knowledge, providers' recommendation, and physical access to vaccination sites, and the dependent variables of vaccination initiation and completion while controlling for and separately testing the impact of age, race, and gender. The data sets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Immunization Survey-Teen from 2013-2015 were used. There was no significant difference in HPV vaccination initiation or completion for any of the 3 years that were analyzed related to parental knowledge, as indicated by a p-value.

This study applied the constructs of the health belief model (HBM) to assess women's knowledge and attitudes (i.e., perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits and perceived barriers) regarding cervical cancer, HPV, and the HPV vaccine and determine whether they predict women's intentions to receive the HPV vaccine. Women aged 18 to 26 years were surveyed from a convenience sample, and were primarily well-educated White women. Using Polytomous Universal Model (PLUM) ordinal regression, it was determined that the constructs of this model could not predict women's intentions of receiving the HPV vaccine.

abstract: Recent studies have shown that human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a role in development of cancers, one of which is head and neck cancer. There is strong and consistent molecular evidence demonstrating that human papillomavirus (HPV) is an etiological cause of these oropharyngeal cancers. Despite the introduction of HPV vaccines, there is still an increase in human papillomavirus associated OPC (HPVOPC) and it is expected that the incidence of head and neck cancer, specifically oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) will increase. The aim of this study is to utilize human papillomavirus (HPV) seropositivity for rapid detection of HPV early specific antigen-antibodies using a lateral flow assay. Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 proteins of interest, E7, E6 and CE2 were expressed and purified in E. coli for detection of specific antibodies using lateral flow assay because viral and host factors impact the serologic responses to HPV early antigens in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer. 17 samples and 5 controls with already known antibody reactivity from ELISA analysis were selected for HPV serologic responses. The lateral flow strip was evaluated for its color band intensity using Image J software. Peak area was used to quantify the color intensity of the lateral flow strip. Out of the 17 samples, 11 (64.7%) showed high antibody levels to E7, 12 (70.6%) showed high Ab levels to E6 and 6 (35.3%) showed high Ab levels to CE2. Correlation coefficient between antibody detection by sight and ELISA for E7, CE2 and E6 were 0.6614, 0.4845 and 0.2372 respectively and correlation coefficient between lateral flow assay and ELISA for E7, CE2 and E6 were 0.3480, 0.1716 and 0.1644 respectively. This further proves patients or samples with HPV 16 oropharyngeal cancer have detectable antibodies to early E7, E6 and E2 proteins, which are potential biomarkers for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Molecular and Cellular Biology 2019