Co-infection of sexually transmitted pathogens with humanpapilloma virus in cervical sample: A multicenter study in Iran

Background and Aim : Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) represent a main cause ofmorbidity in women. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections are among the most prevalent STIsand can cause cervical dysplasia and invasive cervical cancer. The association of other STIs withHPV cervical infection has however not yet been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was toestimate the prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalisassociated with HPV-positivity patients who underwent annual routine gynecological exams fromdifferent geographical regions in Iran.Methods : Five hundred thirty-three cervical swab samples were collected from۱۴ different cityin Iran, nucleic acid was extracted (Add bio, Korea) and G. vaginalis, C. trachomatis, T. vaginaliswere detected by multiplex PCR and HPV genotyping by hybridization method (Operon, Spain).The data were recorded using Microsoft Excel ۲۰۰۷ (Microsoft Corp, Redmond, WA, USA) andanalyzed with the SPSS software (version ۱۶; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). P value < ۰.۰۵ wasconsidered statistically significant.Results : The mean age of the participants was ۳۴.۹۴ years (age range: ۱۸-۶۳years). A total of ۲۰۲(mean range of ۳۳.۶ years) patients were found positive for HPV with ۳۶.۶۳% (n=۷۴) and ۳۳.۶۶%(n=۶۸) infected with high-risk type and low-risk type, respectively and ۲۹.۷۰% (n=۶۰) infectedwith multiple types. Among the ۵۳۳ women, there were ۱۴.۲۵% (n=۷۶) G. vaginalis infection,۳.۰% (n=۱۶) C. trachomatis infection, ۰.۷۵% (n=۴) T. vaginalis infection. Among ۲۰۲ womenwith HPV infection ۱۸.۸۱% (n=۳۸) suffered from G. vaginalis, ۴.۴۵% (n=۹) C. trachomatis and۱.۴۸% (n=۳) T. vaginalis.Conclusion : HPV infection is associated with a number of factors, including age, pregnancy, andimpaired immune function. Studies showed that G. vaginalis infection and HPV infection mayhave consistency or synergies. Most of the women who present HPV with G. vaginalis infectionwere younger than ۴۱ years old. In HPV high-risk type, HPV۳۱ showed the highest prevalenceand in HPV low risk-type, HPV۶ showed the highest prevalence. STI maybe a cofactor and a riskfactor of HPV cause cervical cancer and neoplasia, however this relationship is unclear and a largenumber of epidemiological and molecular studies are needed.

کلیدواژه ها:

Molecular characterization ، co-infection ، Human papillomaviruses ، Gardnerellavaginalis ، Trichomonas vaginalis ، Chlamydia trachomatis