%0 Journal Article
%T Should patients with anogenital warts be tested for genital herpes? Initial results of a pilot study
%V 10
%N 4
%P 329-332
%U http://www.odermatol.com/issue-in-html/2019-4-2-herpes/
%X Background: Genital warts are manifestations of a disease caused by human papillomavirus. Genital warts usually present as multiple, asymmetric, polymorphic papular lesions on the anogenital skin and mucous membranes. Patients with genital warts may have coexisting sexually transmitted diseases. Appropriate screening is crucial to prevent the spread of these infections for public health. Materials and Methods: The study included 20 patients with anogenital warts and 20 healthy individuals within the control group. Laboratory tests including serum levels of hepatitis B surface antigen, antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C antibody, anti human immunodeficiency virus antibody, herpes simplex virus type-1 IgG and herpes simplex virus type-2 IgG were evaluated in each participant. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test was also evaluated in the patient group. Results: Serum levels of hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C antibody and anti human immunodeficiency virus antibody were negative in all patients and healthy individuals. Serum levels of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen were positive in 15(75%) patients and in 14(70%) healthy individuals (p=1). Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test was non-reactive in all patients with anogenital warts. Serum herpes simplex virus type-1 IgG levels were positive in 14(70%) patients and in 11(55%) healthy individuals (p=0.51). Serum herpes simplex virus type-2 IgG levels were positive in 4(20%) patients while all the healthy individuals had negative serum herpes simplex virus type-2 IgG levels (p=0.03). Conclusions: Positive serum herpes simplex virus type-2 IgG levels were significantly more frequent in patients with anogenital warts compared to healthy individuals. Therefore, we suggest that all the patients with anogenital warts should be tested for genital herpes. Hereby, the preliminary results of laboratory tests for the evaluation of patients with anogenital warts have been reported.
%G en
%J Our Dermatology Online
%A Tamer, Funda
%A Yuksel, Mehmet Eren
%A Avci, Emine
%D 2019-10-03