HPV type infection in different anogenital sites among HIV-positive Brazilian women

Maria Alice G Gonçalves¹ , Giorgia Randi² , Annie Arslan³ , Luisa L Villa⁴ , Marcelo N Burattini⁵ , Silvia Franceschi³ , Eduardo Antonio Donadi¹ and Eduardo Massad⁵

¹Division of Clinical Immunology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

²Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy

³International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France

⁴Department of Virology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, São Paulo, Brazil

⁵School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

author email corresponding author email

Infectious Agents and Cancer 2008, 3:5doi:10.1186/1750-9378-3-5


Published:	14 March 2008

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) types, and risk factors for HPV positivity across cervix, vagina and anus, we conducted a study among 138 women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Goal

Compare the prevalence of different HPV types and the risk factors for HPV positivity in three sites.

Results

The most frequently detected HPV types in all sites were, in decreasing order, HPV16, 53, 18, 61 and 81. Agreement between the cervix and vagina was good (kappa 0.60 – 0.80) for HPV16 and 53 and excellent (Kappa > 0.80) for HPV18 and 61. HPV positivity was inversely associated with age for all combinations including the anal site.

Conclusion

In HIV positive women, HPV18 is the most spread HPV type found in combinations of anal and genital sites. The relationship of anal to genital infection has implications for the development of anal malignancies. Thus, the efficacy of the current HPV vaccine may be considered not only for the cervix, but also for prevention of HPV18 anal infection among immunossuppressed individuals.