Human papillomavirus and infections of the lower genital tract in women with abnormal cervical cytological examination

AIMS: To study the associations of positive human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in the female genital tract with Gardnerella vaginalis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida sp. vaginitis, and with possible socio-demographic risk factors for HPV infections. METHODS: The study was conducted with 208 patients with abnormal cervical cytological examination assisted at the Gynecology Service of Central Clinic of Caxias do Sul University, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, analyzing the presence of HPV DNA by polymerase chain reaction and associating the results to diagnosis of vaginal infections obtained from the medical charts of the patients. RESULTS: HPV DNA was detected in 60.1% of all cases analyzed; 93% of them presented simple infections and 6.9% showed multiple infections. Seventeen viral types were identified, being HPV16 the most frequent (38.8%). At least one of the vaginitis investigated was observed in 57,2% of the patients. Gardnerella vaginalis was found in 45.7%, Candida sp. in 20.2%, and Trichomonas vaginalis in 3.8% of the patients examined. No statistical association between the presence of HPV DNA and other infection of the lower genital tract or socio-demographic risk factors was observed. CONCLUSIONS: No association of HPV infection with other infections of the female genital tract or with socio-demographic features could be found. Multiple infections with up to five types of HPV were observed in a low percentage of women. It is difficult to clearly define a group at high risk for HPV infection. All women with abnormal cervical cytological examination are possible carriers of HPV and other infections of the lower genital tract