[Influence of Age in the Prevalence of High-Risk Human Papiloma Virus in Women with Pre-Neoplasic Cervical Lesions in Navarra, Spain].

OBJECTIVE: Cervical carcinoma (CC) is the second cause of death among women aged 15 and 44 in Spain. CC is linked to hig-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection and its prevalence varies according age and geographical region. The awereness of the latter is essential for public health prevention efforts. The aim was to study the age related in HR-HPV genotypes in cytologies with squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL).

METHODS: From a total of 67,935 ginecologic cytologies over a four-year period, we selected cytologic specimens with SIL. We used the Cervista® test to detect HR-HPV DNA. Women were classified into two groups under 35 and over 35 years old. Proportions were estimated with confidence intervals at 95% (95% CI).

RESULTS: HR-HPV prevalence was 59,7%; 64,6% in women under 35 years old. HR-HPV species alpha 9 type 16 (HR-HPV 16) and alpha 5 type 51 (HR-HPV 51) were the most prevalent (60,9% and 51,7%). High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (H-SIL) were twice as high in women under 35 years (6,5 vs. 3,7%). 88,8% of H-SIL was associated HR-HPV 16, which increases the probability of H-SIL against Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (L-SIL) regardless of age.

CONCLUSIONS: In our population HR-HPV 16 was associated to H-SIL whereas HR-HPV specie alpha 7 type 18 and HR-HPV 51 to L-SIL regardless of age. The high prevalence of HR-HPV 51 in Navrra´s population (51,7%), suggests that local vaccination programs be re-assessed.