Susan B. Sepples, RN, MSN, PhD

Drs. Abercrombie and Korn raise critical concerns regarding the need for vigilant monitoring and early intervention to prevent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women who have concomitant human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The evidence is clear that women with HIV are at risk of both more virulent HPV infections and more rapid progression from infection to neoplasia. The authors underscore another critical finding: Women with HIV are at increased risk of developing noncervical condylomas, which are more difficult to detect by standard screening mechanisms and more difficult to treat with standard therapies.