Anal HPV more prevalent than cervical HPV in HIV-positive women

Research in human papilloma virus (HPV) in women has mostly focused on cervical HPV; not much is known about anal HPV infection in women. A team of American researchers therefore investigated the prevalence (frequency of occurrence) and diversity (number of different viral strains) of HPV in HIV-positive women, finding that the virus is actually more prevalent and more diverse anally than cervically. The research was presented to the recent meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America in Toronto.

HPV is the name for a family of sexually transmitted viruses which includes dozens of different subtypes. Some of these subtypes cause genital and anal warts; others can lead to cervical cancer in women, or anal cancer in people of either sex. People with damaged immune systems are at increased risk of HPV-related cancers.

Reference
Kojic EM et al. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection of the anus is more prevalent and diverse than cervical HPV infection among HIV-infected women in the SUN study. 44th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Toronto, abstract 693, 2006.

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