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Low HPV transmission risk associated with genital wart removal
There appears to be a low risk for transmission of HPV in health care workers during the treatment of genital warts or cervical dysplasia, researchers reported at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting.
“The risk of occupational HPV transmission during CO2 laser vaporization of genital warts or loop electrode excision procedure (LEEP) of cervical dysplasia is controversial,” the researchers wrote. “It is of interest because genital high-risk HPV, predominantly type 16, have been shown to play an important role in the etiology of oropharyngeal cancers and HPV is present in plume generated during laser vaporization and LEEP.”
Kristian Kofoed, MD, PhD, of Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, and colleagues assessed the prevalence of HPV among 313 employees working at nine departments of gynecology and dermatology at a medical facility in Denmark from 2010 to 2011. The researchers analyzed oral rinse and nasal swabs for genital and mucosal HPV using a commercially available Luminex assay. Employees also reported on work-related exposures to HPV infection.
Kristian Kofoed
An HPV type was found among 5.8% of employees who had performed CO2 laser vaporization treatment of genital warts vs. 1.4% of those who had no experience with the procedure (P=.06). However, the researchers found that the prevalence of HPV infection was not higher among employees who performed electrosurgical treatment or cryotherapy of genital warts, or LEEP of cervical dysplasia, than employees who did not conduct these procedures.
The risk for acquiring HPV-related diseases, especially hand warts, appeared to be higher for employees working in the dermatology department vs. those working outside the department (18% vs. 8%; P=.03), which may be attributable to having direct contact with the patient, according to the researchers.
All employees who performed CO2 laser vaporization of genital warts reported that they took protective measures against HPV; 93% said they wore examination gloves, 88% used smoke evacuators and 79% wore laser plume masks. However, 64% of employees who stopped performing CO2 laser vaporization within 4 years of the study said they took no protective measures or wore only examination gloves.
“Mucosal HPV types are infrequent in the oral and nasal cavity of health care personnel,” Kofoed told Infectious Disease News. However, employees at departments of dermatology were at risk for acquiring HPV-related disease, specifically hand warts, from direct contact, he added.
Kristian Kofoed, MD, PhD, can be reached at Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, Department of Dermatology, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark; email: kristian.kofoed@regionh.dk.
For more information:
Kofoed K. Abstract P8534. Presented at: The American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting; March 21-25, 2014; Denver.
Disclosure: Kofoed has received fees as a speaker and obtained research grants form Sanofi Pasteur MSD. The study was supported by a research grant from Sanofi Pasteur MSD.