Start | Browse by Day | Author Index | Browse Handouts

D7.1 Oral, Vaginal, and Anal Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection in HIV+ Women

Thursday, March 15, 2012: 8:30 AM
Greenway Ballroom H/I/J
Ping Du, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, John Zurlo, MD, Department of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, Eugene Lengerich, VMD, MS, Department of Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Craig Meyers, PhD, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Andrew Read, PhD, Department of Biology and Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA and Neil Christensen, PhD, Department of Pathology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey

Background: HIV+ women are at high risk for HPV-associated cancers, but HPV infections at non-cervical anatomical sites have not been well studied in HIV+ women.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of oral, vaginal, and anal HPV infection; and to understand factors associated with HPV infections in HIV+ women.  

Methods: HIV+ women were recruited from 5 HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics.  The participants answered a behavioral survey questionnaire, provided oral, vaginal, and anal swabs that were collected by a clinical nurse, and provided 10ml of blood.  The swabs were tested for the presence of 37 types of HPV DNA using a PCR-based assay and the sera were tested for antibody responses to 12 HPV types using virus-like particles (VLPs) antigens by ELISA. HIV/AIDS-related clinical information was obtained from the medical records.

Results: Among 81 HIV+ women enrolled in this study, the majority were older than 40 years and had been infected with HIV for more than 10 years. Whites accounted for 54%, followed by blacks (27%) and Hispanics (14%).  Multiple lifetime sexual partners, oral and anal sex history, and uses of tobacco/alcohol/drug were commonly reported.  More than 60% reported knowing “nothing/a little” about HPV.  Overall, HPV DNA was detected among 55% of women.  The prevalence of oral, vaginal, and anal HPV infection were 7%, 37% and 40%, respectively.  About 18% had multiple-site infection (>=2 anatomical sites) or multiple-type infection (>=2 HPV types).  HPV infections with HPV16/18/6/11 were not common.  Nearly 70% of HIV+ women have positive HPV VLP antibodies, mainly to HPV16/31/39/45/11. HPV-seropositive women were either not currently infected or infected with different HPV types.    

Conclusions: HPV infections at non-cervical sites, especially with non-vaccine covered types, were common in HIV+ women.  Natural HPV antibodies may be protective against HPV infection.  

Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research: Adverse health outcomes related to oral, vaginal, and anal HPV infections should be further evaluated in HIV+ women. 

See more of: Extra-Genital Screening: For Those Times When Genital-Based Screening Isn't Enough
See more of: Oral and Poster
Previous Abstract | Next Abstract >>