Vaginal Infections of Albanian women Infected with HPV and their impact in intraepithelial cervical lesions evidenced by Pap test.
BACKGROUND
Cervical cytology is the best single method for large screening of the population in identifying precancerous lesions of the uterine cervix.


OBJECTIVE
To estimate the frequency of human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity in a group of Albanian women, the prevalence of vaginal coinfections, and the relationship of coinfections with HPV, as well as their role in metaplasia or cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN).


METHODS
In this retrospective study, 2075 vaginal smears were examined. The Papanicolaou stain was used for all slides. The New Bethesda System 2001 was used for the interpretations of the smears. Data analysis was completed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 19.0.


RESULTS
Prevalence of HPV positivity was 43.9% with an average age of 35.48 ± 9.27 years.Candidacoinfection resulted in 57.8% of HPV positive women with a significant relationship between them.Gardnerellacoinfection resulted in 36 (23%), mixed flora in 34 (8%), andTrichomonas vaginalisin 50% of HPV positive woman. Among the women with positive HPV, 19% had CIN, 8% had metaplasia, and 1% had metaplasia and CIN; 9% of the women with HPV had CIN1 and one of the coinfections.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a strong relationship between CIN1 and HPV positivity as well as between CIN1 and coinfections. HPV infection is a major factor contributing to metaplasia, and bacterial coinfections in HPV positive women have a statistically significant impact in the development of metaplasia.
Department of Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania.
Elsa S
ES
Kone
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania.
Avenir D
AD
Balili
Department of Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania.
Piro D
PD
Paparisto
Department of Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania.
Xheladin R
XR
Ceka
Department of Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania.
Elizana D
ED
Petrela
CIN; HPV infection; coinfections; inflammation; metaplasia