Human papillomavirus infection in human immunodeficiency virus-positive Taiwanese women incarcerated for illicit drug usage

Abstract

The number of female injection drug users infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is increasing in Taiwan. Their human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has not been fully discussed. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a prison for women. Both HIV-positive and HIV-negative women were enrolled voluntarily. All patients answered self-administered questionnaires, had a Pap smear, and underwent linear array HPV genotype tests. A total of 72 female patients infected with HIV and 76 women who were not infected with HIV were enrolled in this cross-sectional study (mean age, 33.4 years). HPV infection was detected in 63.9% of patients infected with HIV and 47.4% of HIV-negative counterparts (p=0.043). Oncogenic HPV was detected in 41.6% of patients infected with HIV and 28.9% of their counterparts (p=0.10). A mean of 2.41 types of HPV were detected in HIV-positive women and 1.53 types were detected in the HIV-negative counterparts (p=0.014). HPV 52 was the most commonly encountered oncogenic type. Only 10.2% of the patients (10.9% of HIV-positive patients) had vaccine-preventable HPV types. Patients with abnormal cytology (81.3%) tended to have oncogenic types of HPV infection. HIV serostatus was the significant factor associated with oncogenic HPV infection (odds ratio=2.583, 95% confidence interval 1.071-6.231, p=0.0347). Drug-using women infected with HIV had significantly higher rates of HPV infections, justifying the aggressive screening for cervical dysplasia.