Natural History, Epidemiology and Pathogenesis of Severe HPV-Related Diseases (Neptune)

Study Summary

Background: Most symptoms of human papillomaviruses (HPV) infection, do not cause serious health problems, but some do. As HPV can cause uncontrolled growth of infected cells, some people can develop benign skin lesions, larger warts, genital lesions, tumors or cysts that do not respond to treatment. Researchers want to learn why. Objective: To better understand why some people are more likely than others to get sick from HPV infection, and why medicine or surgery is not always effective. Eligibility: People aged 3 years and older who have had multiple outbreaks of HPV-related warts and/or lesions that do not respond to treatment. Healthy relatives are also needed. Design: Participants will be screened with a medical history, physical exam, and blood tests. Participants may have study visits as an outpatient or an inpatient (admitted overnight to the NIH hospital) and be followed over several years by our doctors and researchers at the NIH. Participants may have a cervical and/or anal Pap test. They may give samples of semen, cervicovaginal secretions, urine, saliva, or stool. Small pieces of skin, the inside of the cheek, and/or the gums may be collected with a punch or scrape biopsy to understand how HPV affect the growth of cells. Mucus and skin may be collected by rubbing the area with a cotton swab. Collection areas may include the inside the mouth, nostrils, skin, genitals, and/or in or around the anus. Biopsies may be collected. If participants need to have a biopsy as part of medical care, then we may ask if extra samples can be collected for research. Biopsies we may collect are bone marrow, lymph node, genitals, or in or around the anus. Participants may have leukapheresis. Blood is taken from a needle placed in one arm. A machine separates out the white blood cells. The rest of the blood is returned through a needle in their other arm. Samples may be used for genetic tests and/or to make special cells called induced pluripotent stem cells. P

Conditions Studied

Study Locations (1)