High prevalence of human papillomavirus and European variants of HPV 16 infecting concomitantly to cervix and oral cavity in HIV positive women.

OBJECTIVE: Identify the prevalence of HPV infections in the uterine cervix and oral cavity and HPV16 variants in HIV+ women. METHODS: A total of 174 HIV+ women attended an HIV+ specialized clinic in Mexico City. Cells were obtained from the oral cavity and cervix to extract DNA. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify the HPV sequence with generic primers. We detected specific HPV types using the INNO-LiPA HPV Genotyping Extra II Kit (INNOGENETICS). The identification of variants was studied by sequencing the E6 gene with a Big Dye Terminator Kit and an Applied Biosystems 3500/3500xL genetic analyzer. RESULTS: HPV infection was very high in the uterine cervix (168/174, 96.6%) and oral cavity (161/174, 92.5%). The prevalence of HPV concurrent infections in the cervix and oral cavity was 155/174 (89.1%). We found hrHPVs to be more prevalent than low-risk HPVs (lrHPVs) in the oral cavity (90.2% versus 45.4%) and that infections simultaneously affected the cervix (94.3% versus 36.2%) and oral cavity (85.1% versus 20.1%). Surprisingly, only European variants of HPV type 16 were found in the uterine cervix of women and the oral cavity of all tested samples (52 oral cavity samples and 52 uterine cervix samples). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of HPV, multiple infections and presence of the EP350G intravariant in both anatomical regions are strongly related to the persistence of the virus, which is fundamental for the development of cancer. Therefore, it is very important to control and monitor this high-risk population as well as implement programs for the early detection of HPV and vaccination.

Geographical variation in human papillomavirus prevalence in Mexican women with normal cytology.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and genotype distribution in Mexican women with similar lifestyles from two geographical regions who receive medical care from the Mexican Navy Health System, and to identify the associated sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics. METHODS: Cervical swabs from 671 women, beneficiaries of the Mexican Navy Health System, from two distinct southern coast regions of Mexico, were analyzed. Data were obtained regarding sociodemographic variables and sexual and reproductive history. For HPV detection and typing, PCR with general primers and direct sequencing were performed on extracted DNA. Association with clinical variables was evaluated. RESULTS: Most patients had a normal cytology or low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. A high prevalence of HPV was found (43.6%), with a significant difference between the two regions studied from the southwest Pacific coast of Mexico (37.6% in Acapulco, Guerrero vs. 49.7% in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán). Some differences were also found associated to HPV type distribution, particularly related to genotypes 18, 58, and 53. Factors influencing these differences could not be identified with the analysis of typical risk factors linked to the acquisition of an HPV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Regional differences in HPV prevalence and distribution show an apparent geographic boundary between the studied populations that deserves further analysis, taking into account other factors such as those related to the sexual partners.