['The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) predisposes 500\u2009000 women to cervical cancer. Host genetic background may facilitate virus persistence in the uterine cervix. Polymorphisms in regulatory and coding regions of cytokine genes have been associated with susceptibility to some human diseases.', 'This study aims at investigating whether TNFA -308 G/A and IL18 -137 G/C and -607 C/A polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to HPV infection/progression to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL).', 'One hundred and twenty-two HPV infected and 132 HPV negative women (the latter used as healthy controls) were analysed. TNFA -308 G/A and IL18 (-137G/C and -607 C/A) polymorphisms were analysed using specific sequence polymorphism PCR (SSP-PCR). Univariate statistical analysis and a logistic regression were performed.', 'The TNFA -308A allele was associated with susceptibility to HPV infection (p\u2009=\u20090.0008), while the IL18 -607A allele conferred protection against HPV infection (p\u2009=\u20090.0043). TNFA -308 G/A and IL18 (-137G/C and -607 C/A) polymorphisms were not associated with development of cervical lesions (p\u2009>\u20090.05). An association was also observed between smoking and susceptibility to the development of HSIL.'] Are tumor necrosis factor ( TNF ) alpha and interleukin ( IL ) 18 genes polymorphisms correlated with susceptibility to HPV infection in patients with and without cervical intraepithelial lesion?