High molecular prevalence of HPV and other sexually transmitted infections in a population of asymptomatic women who work or study at a Brazilian university

Abstract

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) represent a global health problem with variable prevalence depending on the geographical region and the type of population. Human papillomavirus (HPV) encompasses widespread virus types related to cervical carcinogenesis. The present study investigated the molecular prevalence of HPV and seven other important STIs in asymptomatic women working or studying at a Brazilian university. A secondary aim was to assess cytological abnormalities associated with HPV and other STIs coinfections. We recruited 210 women from a Brazilian university. HPV was detected using a single-round polymerase chain reaction (sPCR) followed by a viral genotyping by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP-PCR). The presence of seven STIs: Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 and HSV-2 was detected by multiplex PCR (M-PCR). Furthermore, cytological findings and epidemiological characteristics were evaluated.The mean age of the participants was 27.1 years old. HPV prevalence was 33.8%, and HPV16 was the most frequently detected papillomavirus genotype. Moreover, multiple HPV infections were common (42.2%). We detected at least one STI agent in 11.4% of the tested women, most frequently C. trachomatis (6.7%). Among HPV-positive women, 14.1% were coinfected with other STI agents. Cytological abnormalities were observed in 9.5% of smears, and HPV-DNA, high-risk HPV (HR-HPV), HPV16 and HPV multiple infections were associated with abnormal cytological findings. There was a high prevalence of HPV, and C. trachomatis was the most prevalent STI agent, with low rates of cytological abnormalities. These findings highlight the need of timely STI diagnosis in young asymptomatic women and of a public policy design for STI prevention.