Oral and cervical HPV infection in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women attending a sexual health clinic in São Paulo,Brazil

Objective

To investigate the prevalence of HPV infections in the oral and cervical mucosa of HIV-positive and HIV-negative women attending a sexual health clinic.

Methods

One-hundred HIV-positive women and 100 HIV-negative women were recruited from a sexual health clinic in São Paulo, Brazil. All participants were given an oral and cervical examination. Cytologic samples were evaluated via HPV DNA test.

Results

In oral samples, HPV DNA was observed in 11 women from the HIV-positive group and 2 from the HIV-negative group. High-risk HPV subtypes were prevalent in both groups and no difference between groups was detected. HPV DNA was detected in cervical scrapings from 41 HIV-positive women and 45 HIV-negative women (P = 0.67). No participants showed oral lesions, whereas 15 HIV-positive and 17 HIV-negative women presented with macroscopic genital lesions.

Conclusion

HPV is detected more often in cervical scrapings than in oral samples. However, HPV oral shedding is more frequent in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative individuals. Concurrence of infection (high and low risk) was not observed in oral and cervical mucosa.