Human papillomavirus persistence or clearance after infection in reproductive age. What is the status? Review of the literature and new data of a vaginal gel containing silicate dioxide, citric acid, and selenite

Abstract

Cervical cancer, the third most common cancer in women, is caused in nearly all cases by a persistent infection with high-risk types of the human papillomavirus. Although human papillomavirus infections are 80%–90% transient and disappear spontaneously within 24 months, human papillomavirus infections that remain are at risk of developing cervical lesions. Different therapeutical approaches have been tested to promote the regression of low-grade lesions or prevent progression. They include the application of 5-fluorouracil, curcumin, imiquimod, interferons, Vitamin D, and others. Also, the effect of probiotics and vaginal therapy with carboxy-methyl-beta glucan was assessed. Review of the literature and presentation of the last study data are presented. Clearance of high-risk human papillomavirus seemed to be promoted by treatment with a new vaginal gel containing a highly disperse SiO2 and an anti-oxidative combination of citric acid and sodium. This gel showed, after 6 months, an improvement of cytological Pap findings (ASC-US, LSIL, ASC-H, or HSIL) in 80.9% of the participants. Similarly, there was a clearing of hr-human papillomavirus in 53% of cases after 3 months of gel administration. The percentage increased slightly in the non-treated control group from 78.3% at baseline to 83% after 3 months. The percentage of patients who were tested positive for p16/Ki67 reduced from 75% at baseline to 5.3% in the treatment group after 6 months, while the percentage decreased only slightly in the non-treated group (baseline: 91.5%; 6 months: 75.2%). The examined vaginal gel may support the healing of conspicuous cytological findings (ASC-US, LSIL, ASC-H, or HSIL) and clearance of hr-human papillomavirus positive results.

Human papillomavirus prevalence and dynamics

“…This aligns with previous research showing a high rate of natural HPV clearance. 19 . 20 This suggests that a positive HPV DNA in the context of Saudi Arabia could be considered a transient finding, especially in cases with negative dysplasia results, and would warrant simple monitoring.…”

Antenatal and postnatal cervical precancer screening to increase coverage: experience from Battor, Ghana

“…Of clinical importance are persistent HPV infections. Apart from younger women having transient HPV infections that are more likely to clear spontaneously [ 23 ] leading to overtreatment when they are screened using HPV DNA testing, this can also lead to increased workload with colposcopy in traditional screening settings using sequential HPV DNA testing with screen positives being referred for colposcopy. Our model of concurrent HPV DNA testing and a visual inspection with VIA or mobile colposcopy performed by trained nurses overcomes this challenge of lack of colposcopists and loss to follow up [ 24 , 25, 27].…”

Can prophylactic HPV vaccination reduce the recurrence of cervical lesions after surgery? Review and prospect

“…The viral genome then encodes the synthesis of L1 and L2 capsid proteins, which assemble into mature virions that are secreted from epithelial cells and allow the infection to spread [ 40 ]. During viral DNA replication, each cell has at least 1000 copies of the virus, which increases the expression of L1 and L2 capsid proteins and the assembly of infectious viruses [ 41 ].…”