Cervical abnormalities, human papillomavirus, and human immunodeficiency virus infections in women in Malawi

J Infect Dis. 1996 Mar;173(3):714-7. doi: 10.1093/infdis/173.3.714.

Abstract

Cervical lavage samples and Pap smears were obtained from 284 women in Malawi to evaluate the association between human papillomavirus (HPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. Squamous intraepithelial lesions were present in 15% (17/16) of HIV-seropositive and 7% (11/152) of HIV-seronegative women (P=.05) and in 23% (19/83) of HPV polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive and 4% (6/156) of HPV PCR-negative women (P<.001). HPV DNA was detected in 23% of HIV-uninfected women but in 60% of HIV-infected women with <300 CD4 cells/mm(3) (P<.002). High-risk HPV types 16 and 18 constituted half of the identified types. HPV DNA in previously HPV-positive women was detected more often than in HIV-seropositive abnormal cervical cytology than uninfected ones and were more likely to have persistent HPV infections. Early detection of HPV and regular monitoring of HIV-related cervical lesions may be important in HIV-infected women.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • DNA, Viral / isolation & purification
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • HIV Seronegativity
  • HIV Seropositivity / complications
  • HIV Seropositivity / epidemiology
  • HIV Seropositivity / virology
  • Humans
  • Malawi / epidemiology
  • Papillomaviridae / classification
  • Papillomaviridae / isolation & purification
  • Papillomaviridae / pathogenicity
  • Papillomavirus Infections / complications*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Papillomavirus Infections / virology
  • Risk Factors
  • Tumor Virus Infections / complications*
  • Tumor Virus Infections / epidemiology
  • Tumor Virus Infections / virology
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / complications*
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / epidemiology
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / virology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / complications*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / virology

Substances

  • DNA, Viral