Background: Cytology-based screening has been a cornerstone of cervical cancer prevention for decades. Following extensive evidence demonstrating higher sensitivity and accuracy, lower variability and better reproducibility of human papillomavirus (HPV)-based screening compared with conventional or liquidbased cytology, recent European guidelines strongly recommend primary HPV-based screening over standard cytology-based screening. In addition, HPV-based screening offers the possibility of selfsampling and makes possible longer screening intervals in women with negative screening results. Objectives: We summarize the current status of implementation of HPV-based screening in Europe, describe the real-life experience and challenges from countries already performing HPV-based screening, and briefly review immediate and long-term plans for screening implementation in selected European countries. Sources: Data were obtained from peer-reviewed literature, personal communication with experts and authorities involved in formulating national recommendations and practical guidelines, and relevant national websites. Content: As of July 2019, the Netherlands and Turkey are the only European countries with fully implemented national HPV-based cervical cancer screening. Italy, Sweden and Finland have already implemented HPV-based screening in several regions, and several other countries are at various stages of implementation. Some countries are considering transitioning from cytology-based to HPV-based screening, but are struggling with the suboptimal performance of current population-based programmes. Implementation of HPV-based screening has resulted in higher colposcopy referral rates, but also higher detection rates of CIN3þ lesions and cervical cancers requiring immediate treatment. Cytology is mostly used as a triage test, although other strategies are under consideration in some countries. Implications: HPV-based screening is best suited in organized population-based screening settings. In 2019, cervical cancer screening policies across Europe vary greatly. Experience in countries with national and regional HPV-based screening already implemented is generally very positive. Urgent action is needed in many European countries, especially those with suboptimal opportunistic cytology-based cervical cancer screening.
Slovenia is a small European country with a total of 547 HIV-infected individuals cumulatively reported by the end of 2011. However, the estimated incidence rate of HIV infections increased from 7.0 per million in 2003 to 26.8 per million in 2011. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) in the past 6 years (2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010) and analyzed the time trend of the proportion of men having sex with men (MSM) and HIV-1 subtype B among newly diagnosed individuals in a 15-year period (1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010) in Slovenia. Among 150 patients included in the study, representing 63% of HIV-1 newly diagnosed patients in 2005-2010, TDR was found in seven patients (4.7%). The prevalence of TDR to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors was 2% (3/150), 2% (3/150), and 0.7% (1/150), respectively. The majority of patients were infected with subtype B (134/150, 89%), while subtype A was detected in 6.0% (9/150), subtype D in 1.3% (2/150), and subtype G and CRF02_AG in 0.7% (one patient each). Three of 150 sequences could not be typed. Infection with subtype B was found to be significantly associated with male gender, Slovenia being reported as the country of the patient's nationality and origin of the virus, CDC class A, mode of transmission with homosexual/bisexual contact, sex with an anonymous person, and a higher CD4 + count. Among patients carrying the subtype B virus, an MSM transmission route was reported in 87% of patients. Although the prevalence of TDR in Slovenia is still below the European average, active surveillance should be continued, especially among MSM, the most vulnerable population for HIV-1 infection in this part of Europe.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.