[Genital human papillomavirus infection identification by molecular biology among asymptomatic women].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether epidemiological factors may be associated to genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was carried out among 975 women seen at a public health service for cervical cancer screening in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Women were considered infected if tested positive to HPV either by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or Hybrid Capture II (HC-II) methods. Women with genital HPV infection were compared to women without infection drawn from the same population.


RESULTS
The study enrolled 975 women. The HPV prevalence (both methods combined) in this population was 27%. However, when each diagnostic method is analyzed separately, HPV prevalence was 15% and 16% for HC-II and PCR, respectively. Unconditional multiple logistic regression was used to correlate disease status to women characteristics. A positive association was found with HPV infection for the following variables: years of schooling (11 years: OR=2.05; 95%CI =1.31; 3.20), married (OR=1.69; 95%CI=0.78; 2.00), number of lifetime sexual partners (2 partners: OR=1.67; 95%CI=1.01; 2.77; 4 or +: OR=2.18; 95%CI=1.15; 4.13), age at first intercourse (15-16 years: OR=4.05; 95%CI=0.89; 18.29).


CONCLUSIONS
Various factors may contribute to genital HPV infection, especially those related to sexual behavior (young age at first intercourse, high number of lifetime sexual partners, and marital status), and those related to social and economic status (years of schooling).
Nonnenmacher
Bernadete
B
Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, RS, Brasil. bernadet@zaz.com.br
Breitenbach
Vanessa
V
Villa
Luisa Lina
LL
Prolla
João Carlos
JC
Bozzetti
Mary Clarisse
MC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000592:standards; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000592:standards; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control
D004279:DNA, Viral