Prevalence of hr-HPV types and their association with bacterial vaginosis, yeasts and trichomoniasis in Argentine women

Human papillomavirus infection is the most common sexually-transmitted infection and its relationship with vaginal microbiota is not entirely clear. The aims of this study were: (1) to determine the prevalence of infection with high-risk (hr)-HPV types in different age groups; (2) to describe the hr-HPV types according to the grade of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL); (3) to establish the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV), yeasts and trichomoniasis in the different age groups studied according to the type of hr-HPV detected. A total of 741 patients underwent clinical examination and collection of vaginal fornix to study basic vaginal states (BVS) and culture. hr-HPV types were determined using multiple isothermal real-time amplification. Patients were divided into three age groups: Group 1, 18-24 years (n=138), Group 2, 25-50 years (n=456) and Group 3, over 50 years (n=147). All groups were further divided into HPV-negative, HPV-positive patients without lesion, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (L-SIL), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion/squamous cervical carcinoma (H-SIL/SCC). HPV16 type was the most prevalent in H-SIL/SSC 50% (22/44) followed by hr-HPV non-16/18 13.6% (6/44) and in L-SIL 27% (17/63) followed by HPV31-33 14.3% (9/63). In Group 1, HPV16 was detected in 63.3% (7/11) of H-SIL/SCC lesions; in Group 2, HPV16 was detected in 45.5% of H-SIL/SCC lesions (14/32); and in Group 3, HPV16 was detected in one case of H-SIL/SCC. The most prevalent condition was BV in the three groups. In Group 1, 54.2% of HPV16 patients had associated BV. A high prevalence of hr-HPV infection was detected in the 18-24-year age group. HPV16 was the most prevalent type in both the 18-24 and 25-50-year age groups and both HSIL/SSC and L-SIL. BV was the condition most frequently detected, especially in the 18-24-year age group.