Dataset HPV ITS y2021m04 [51]

Detection of Human papillomavirus and
co-infection with other sexually transmitted pathogens in northern Peru

ABSTRACT

Background
Human
papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted
infection worldwide. High-risk HPV strains are a necessary but not a sufficient
cause for cervical cancer and the presence of other co-factors may facilitate
progression to cancer. The presence of other sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) may be associated with greater progression of
cervical lesions.

Objective
The aim of this study was to identify
HPV infections and the presence of co-infections by other important STIs (Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Herpes simplex virus 2) in women attending the public health system in
northern Peru.

Methods
We conducted a prospective cross-sectional
study in asymptomatic women attending the cervical cancer screening program in
a public hospital of Cajamarca, Peru. Detection of sexually transmitted
pathogens was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The pathogens
evaluated were: HPV, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Herpes
simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) .

Results
A total
of 300 asymptomatic women were enrolled in the current study. The pooled prevalence of HPV detected in our study was 19.33% (16.33%
as single infection and 3.00% in co-infections) from the total
samples.Co-infections between the different pathogens were also observed in 15
cases, being HPV and T. vaginalis the most frequent with 10 cases
(66.67%). The most frequent type identified in HPV monoinfections were HPV-16
(16.33%), HPV-52 (14.29%) and HPV-31 (8.16%). Co-infection by multiple HPV types
were also identified with up to 4 genotypes at the same time in a single
patient The majority of patients with high-risk HPV were between 18 - 39 years
old (60.87%) and had a sexual partner in the last 6 months (93.48%). Also, the majority of the patients
with high-risk types did not report frequent condom use (89.13%).

Keywords: HPV, Human papillomavirus, Herpes,
Herpes virus simple, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis