title: Human Papillomavirus and students in Brazil: an assessment of knowledge of a common infection - preliminary report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease worldwide. One of the barriers to the implementation of prevention programs against the disease is the limited knowledge possessed by most populations regarding the virus and its possible consequences.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of Brazilian college students on transmission, clinical manifestations, and diseases correlated with HPV, highlighting the poor knowledge of a very common infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 194 students answered a questionnaire about transmission, clinical features and the possible consequences of persistent HPV infection. The questionnaire was self-applied under the supervision of the authors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical manifestations of HPV infection were not clear to most students. Incorrect assumptions of the clinical manifestations of HPV infection included: bleeding (25%), pain (37%) and rashes (22%). Twelve per cent of respondents did not recognize warts as an HPV-related disease. Regarding potential consequences of persistent infection, students did not recognize a relationship between HPV and laryngeal carcinoma (80.9%), pharyngeal carcinoma (78.9%), anal carcinoma (73.2%), vulvar carcinoma (65.4%) and vaginal carcinoma (54.6%). Large portions of the population evaluated were unaware of modes of HPV transmission beyond genital contact.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge of HPV by the population evaluated in this study is partial and fragmented. Lack of knowledge may contribute to the further spread of the disease. Public health policies for education and guidance of the population should be implemented in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Cesar Frizzo
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Burlamaqui
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cassanti
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Bastos
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Borim
authors.affiliation: Stanford University, California, USA.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Damrose
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luisa Lina
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: leosilva@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections; D015995:Prevalence; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Brasil; Brazil; Comportamento sexual; Policy; Política; Sexual behavior; Viruses; Vírus