Objectives
HPV infection causes
cervical cancer, yet information on prevalence and risk factors for HPV in
Africa remain sparse. This study describes the prevalence of HPV genotypes and
risk factors associated with HPV among young women ≤ 30 years of age in
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa.
Methods
Cervicovaginal lavage
samples were tested for HPV genotypes in 224 women enrolled in a prospective
cohort study. Clinical, behavioural and demographic data were collected. We
measured prevalence of HPV genotypes and using logistic regression, examined
for factors associated with HPV.
Results
Median age of
participants was 21 years [interquartile range (IQR):18–23]. The overall
prevalence of HPV was 76.3% (171/224) with multiple and single genotypes
prevalent in 56.3% and 20.1% of women respectively. Proportion of women with
high-risk genotypes (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56 and 58) was 54.5%.
Women not living with their partner [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)] = 3.42 95%
CI1.22–9.60; p = 0.019), was significantly associated with HPV infection and
high-risk HPV genotype infection.
Conclusion
The high burden of HPV
and associated risk behaviours highlight the need to intensify behavioural
interventions to prevent HPV acquisition in young women. The large scale
delivery of HPV vaccine should be prioritised to prevent HPV acquisition and
reduce HPV-related morbidity.
By: Sumayyah Ebrahim,#1,* Xolani K. Mndende,#2 Ayesha B. M. Kharsany,3,‡ Zizipho Z. A. Mbulawa,2,4 Vivek Naranbhai,3,5 Janet Frohlich,3 Lise Werner,3,‡ Natasha Samsunder,3 Quarraisha Abdool Karim,3,6 and Anna-Lise Williamson2,7
Craig Meyers, Editor
1Department of Surgery, Nelson R. Mandela
School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
2Division of Medical Virology and Institute
of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape
Town, South Africa
3Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research
in South Africa, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal,
Durban, South Africa
4Center for HIV and STIs, National
Institute for Communicable Disease, National Health Laboratory Service, Groote
Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
5Nuffield Department of Medicine,
University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
6Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School
of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, United States of America
7National Health Laboratory Service, Groote
Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
Penn State
University School of Medicine, UNITED STATES
#Contributed equally.
