Home > Health Sciences > Vol 12 No 1 June 2024 Abstract 6
Age-Specific HPV Prevalence and Risk Factors in Women from a Northeast Area of Brazil - Comparative Study
Augusto César Castro Mesquita, Ana Paula Almeida Cunha, Francisco Pedro Belfort Mendes, Ilka Kassandra Pereira Belfort, Sally Cristina Moutinho Monteiro, Flávia Castello Branco Vidal

Abstract
The objective was to compare the prevalence of HPV infection, lifestyle, and sexual risk behaviors in women at different reproductive stages. Participants were stratified into three groups: fertile age, climacteric, and postmenopausal. After a socio-demographic questionnaire and oncotic cytology examination, a cervical smear was used to detect and genotype HPV using nested PCR and automated sequencing. The postmenopausal group comprised 102 women with a median age of 56.53±8.09 years. They had higher income but fewer years of education, a higher chance of being smokers, and a higher number of pregnancies and children (P<0.05). Most participants did not use contraceptives, including condoms (P <0.05). Incidence of high-risk HPV was high in non-menopausal women as well as the presence of Gardnerella vaginal infection (P < 0.05). Women in all reproductive cycles are subject to HPV infection, however, with some differences regarding the viral type.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijhs.v12n1a6