Genetic variation in CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), the major HIV-1 coreceptor, has been shown to influence HIV-1 transmission and disease progression. However, it is generally assumed that the same CCR5 genotype (or haplotype) has similar phenotypic effects in different populations. To test this assumption, we used an evolutionary-based classification of CCR5 haplotypes to determine their associated HIV-1 disease-modifying effects in a large wellcharacterized racially mixed cohort of HIV-1-seropositive individuals. We demonstrate that the spectrum of CCR5 haplotypes associated with disease acceleration or retardation differs between African Americans and Caucasians. Also, we show that there is a strong interactive effect between CCR5 haplotypes with different evolutionary histories. The striking population-specific phenotypic effects associated with CCR5 haplotypes emphasize the importance of understanding the evolutionary context in which disease susceptibility genes are expressed.

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Persistent infection with high-risk HPV, particularly Type HPV 16 and 18, is necessary in the development of cervical cancer, but apart from HPV infection, other causative factors of most cervical cancers remain unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV 16 and HPV 18 and HSV 1 and HSV 2 in cervical samples, and to assess the role of HSVs in cervical carcinogenesis. Two hundred thirty-three healthy controls and 567 cases (333 of cervicitis, 210 of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and 24 of squamous cell carcinoma) in cervical exfoliative cells were tested for HPV 16, HPV 18, HSV 1, and HSV 2 DNA using the triplex real-time polymerase chain reaction method. In contrast to healthy women, positive rate of HPV is related significantly to cervical lesions (odds ratios (ORs) = 4.1, P < 0.01 for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia; ORs = 24.9, P < 0.01 for squamous cell carcinoma), but not cervicitis (ORs = 2.3, P > 0.05). HSV 2 prevalence in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma was higher than in healthy women (ORs = 4.9, P < 0.05 for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia; ORs = 4.7, P < 0.05 for squamous cell carcinoma). HSV 2 coinfection with HPV in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma was strongly higher than in healthy women (ORs = 34.2, P < 0.01 for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia; ORs = 61.1, P < 0.01 for squamous cell carcinoma). The obtained results indicated that the presence of HPV is associated closely with cervical cancer, and that HSV 2 infection or co-infection with HPV might be involved in cervical cancer development, while HSV 1 might not be involved.

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