La reazione polimerasica a catena (PCR) nella diagnosi delle infezioni genitali da Papillomavirus umano (HPV)

In a three year time (2001-2003) we evaluated the use of HPV testing and typing in 520 cytologically abnormal women (322 LSIL, 198 HSIL), in 25 squamous and 18 adeno invasive cancers. HPV testing was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using L1 consensus primers; HPV typing was performed using specific primers for low and high risk types. The prevalence of high risk HPV was: LSIL 41%; HSIL 74%; squamous invasive cancers 96% and adeno 100%. HPV 16 is the most represented type in all lesions. We also evaluated the usefulness of p53 typing in the early identification of women at risk for cervical cancer

Citomegalovirus: monitoraggio dell’infezione e della terapia nei pazienti trapiantati di rene

CMV infection is a major cause of disease following renal transplantation. Clinical diagnosis is difficult because the virus usually produces only few, if any, symptoms. Consequently rapid and sensitive diagnostic methods are needed, since clinically effective antiviral therapy is available. Qualitative-quantitative detection of CMV-DNA in leukocytes and in plasma and pp65-antigenaemia are the methods which allow to evidence viral replication activity. In this study we report the our experience about follow-up of 70 kidney transplant recipients. Results indicate that while active CMV infection occured in 25 patients (37,5%), only 11 patients (15,7%) showed antigenaemia and DNAemia values predictive of CMV disease. In this study we also evaluated the efficacy of pre-emptive therapy