Prevalence of cervical infection by human papillomavirus and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in HIV-positive and negative women

PURPOSE: To conduct a comparative study between two groups of women (HIV positive and negative) analyzing: the prevalence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical HPV infection; viral risk and relationship with development of CIN; and sociodemographic and behavioral parameters that influence cervical HPV infection and the development of CIN. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in which 202 HIV-positive women and 164 HIV-negative women were analyzed to assess the prevalence of CIN and 171 HIV-positive women and 160 HIV-negative women were analyzed to assess the prevalence of cervical HPV infection. The following procedures were performed on the occasion of each medical visit: collection of cervical samples for cytology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect HPV DNA; colposcopy; standardized questionnaire to collect demographic and behavioral data; and biopsy of all colposcopic changes. Histopathology was the gold standard for the diagnosis of CIN. RESULTS: The prevalence of CIN was 2.4 and 15.3% (p<0.001) and the prevalence of cervical HPV infection was 37.1 and 55.5% (p=0.002), respectively, among HIV-negative and -positive women. HIV-positive women had a higher risk of HPV infection (35.7 and 23.6%) (p=0.02). HPV 16 was the most prevalent virus type, occurring in 11.3 and 10.2% of HIV-positive and negative women and was also more prevalent among women presenting CIN in both groups. Factors associated fwith the development of CIN were: HIV infection (HT=4.64; 95% CI 2.23-9.65), age (HT=0.95; 95% CI 0.93-0.98 for each year of life) and marital status (HT=0.49; 95% CI 0.30-0.80). Associated factors for HPV infection were: HIV presence (HT= 2.72; 95% CI 1.77-4.17), greater number of sexual partners (HT= 1.87; 95% CI 1.23-2.84), age (HT= 0.97; 95% CI 0.95-0.99 for each year of life) and marital status (HT= 0.65; 95% CI 0.42-1.0 for stable union/widows). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CIN and cervical HPV infection was higher in HIV-positive women, who also presented a higher risk of HPV infections and multiple viral types. Type 16 was predominant in both groups and in women with CIN. Older women and women with stable union/widows were less likely to acquire cervical HPV infection and CIN.