Prevalence of HPV types in HIV-positive and negative females with normal cervical cytology or dysplasia.

UNLABELLED: The burden of HPV varies by country and HIV status. The study aimed to evaluate HPV types prevalent in HIV-positive females compared with HIV-negative females in the local population of the federal capital territory in Pakistan.

METHOD: The selected female population consisted of 65 already diagnosed HIV-positive females and 135 HIV-negative females. Cervical scrap was collected and analyzed for HPV and cytology.

RESULTS

The prevalence of HPV in HIV-positive patients was 36.9%, higher than HIV-negative patients (4.4%). 12.30% had cervical cytology interpreted as "LSIL" and 87.69% had cytology interpreted as "NIL." The high-risk type was detected in 15.39% while 21.54% showed low-risk HPV types. Among the high-risk types, HPV18 (6.15%), HPV16 (4.62%), HPV45 (3.07%), HPV33 (1.53%), HPV58 (3.07%), and HPV68 (1.53%) were found. In patients with LSIL, high-risk HPV accounts for 62.5%. Risk factors, such as age, marital status, educational status, residence, parity, other STDs, and contraceptives, were analyzed to find the correlation with HPV infection Age ≤35 years (OR 1.21, 95% CI, 0.44-3.34), illiterate and incomplete secondary education (OR 1.08, 95% CI, 0.37-3.15), and those reported not to use contraceptives (OR: 1.90; 95% CI: 0.67-5.42) have an association for increased risk of HPV infection.

CONCLUSION

HPV18, HPV16, HPV58, HPV45, HPV68, and HPV33 were identified among high-risk HPV types. High-risk HPV was detected in 62.5% of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. The data is useful for health policymakers to develop a strategy for HPV screening and prophylactic vaccination to prevent cervical cancer.