title: Evidence of a higher prevalence of HPV infection in HTLV-1-infected women: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HTLV-1 infection increases susceptibility to other infections. Few studies have addressed the co-infection between HPV and HTLV-1 and the immune response involved in this interaction. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cervical HPV infection in HTLV-1-infected women and to establish the risk factors involved in this co-infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out in Salvador, Brazil, between September 2005 and December 2008, involving 50 HTLV-1-infected women from the HTLV Reference Center and 40 uninfected patients from gynecological clinic, both at the Bahiana School of Medicine. HPV infection was assessed using hybrid capture. HTLV-1 proviral load was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of HTLV-1-infected women (38 ± 10 years) was similar to that of the control group (36 ± 13 years). The prevalence of HPV infection was 44% in the HTLV-1-infected group and 22.5% in uninfected women (p = 0.03). HTLV-1-infected women had lower mean age at onset of sexual life (17 ± 3 years versus 19 ± 3 years; p = 0.03) and greater number of lifetime partners compared with the control group (4 ± 3 versus 2 ± 1; p < 0.01). In the group of HTLV-1-infected patients, there was neither difference in HTLV-1 proviral load between HPV-infected women and the uninfected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of HPV infection was higher in HTLV-1-infected women. Further studies should be performed to evaluate the progression of this co-infection.
authors: Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Saúde Humana, Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, BA, Brasil.
authors: Sônia Sampaio
authors: SS
authors: Lôpo
authors: Paula Matos
authors: PM
authors: Oliveira
authors: Iuri Usêda
authors: IU
authors: Santana
authors: Geisa Barbosa
authors: GB
authors: Pena
authors: Maria Betânia
authors: MB
authors: Torrales
authors: Rita Elizabeth
authors: RE
authors: Mascarenhas
authors: Bernardo
authors: B
authors: Galvão-Castro
authors: Maria Fernanda Rios
authors: MF
authors: Grassi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult