Genital tract infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in women attended at a cervical cancer screening program in Northeastern from Brazil.

PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection alone and in combination with human papillomavirus (HPV). Furthermore, the study investigates whether the CT infection increases the risk of contracting HPV and whether the presence of both pathogens is associated with a higher prevalence of cervical lesions. METHODS: Cervical samples of 1,134 asymptomatic women enrolled in a screening program for cervical cancer were analyzed. Two cervical specimens were collected from each patient, one for cytologic examination and the other for detection of CT by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using a primer pair which amplifies a specific sequence of the DNA plasmid. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rate infection was 10.9%, being 10% in the women with normal cytology, 13.8% in those with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US), and 25% with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). The infection by CT did not increase the risk of acquiring HPV infection. The higher prevalence of LSIL in women co-infected with HPV and CT is possibly due to HPV. CONCLUSION: CT infection was more prevalent in younger women aged up to 32 years, who had an early onset of reproductive activity and a history of having had multiple sexual partners lifelong may be at a greater risk of acquiring infection of the genital tract by C. trachomatis.

Genital infection with herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in women from natal, Brazil.

Objective. To evaluate the prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in pregnant and nonpregnant women, testing the correlation between DNA of the viruses with colposcopic and/or cytological changes, and evaluate association with sociodemographic characteristics and sexual activity. Methods. Included in this study were 106 pregnant and 130 nonpregnant women treated at primary health care units of Natal, Brazil, in the period 2010-2011. The patients were examined by colposcopy, and two cervical specimens were collected: one for cytology examination and another for analysis by PCR for detection of HSV-1 and HSV-2. Results. HSV-1 alone was detected in 16.0% of pregnant and 30.0% of nonpregnant women. For HSV-2, these rates were 12.3% and 15.5%, respectively. HSV-2 had a higher correlation with cytology and/or colposcopy changes than HSV-1 did. Genital HSV-1 infection was not associated with any of the variables tested, whereas HSV-2 infection was associated with ethnicity, marital status, and number of sexual partners. Conclusions. The prevalence of HSV-1 was higher than that observed for HSV-2 in both pregnant and nonpregnant women. The genital infection by HSV-2 was higher in women with changed colposcopy and/or cytology, and it was associated with ethnicity, marital status, and number of sexual partners.

Knowledge about HPV and Screening of Cervical Cancer among Women from the Metropolitan Region of Natal, Brazil.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge level about HPV and screening of cervical cancer in women from the metropolitan region of Natal, Brazil. Materials and Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study involving sexually active women was conducted. The participants were submitted to a face-to-face interview, using a structured questionnaire that permitted the quantification of data and opinions of the respondents. Results. Most participants (70.9%) had poor knowledge about HPV and also the Pap test (53.0%). The high level of knowledge about HPV was associated with age, education, marital status, household income, and pregnancy, while the high level of knowledge about the Pap test proved to be associated only with education and household income. Conclusion. The results highlight the need for performing educational campaigns emphasizing the role of HPV in the etiology of cervical lesions of different degrees, including cervical cancer, as well as the importance of having a Pap test regularly to prevent these diseases.