Prevalence of cervical dysplasia and HPV infection according to sexual behavior

A total of 165 uterine cervix smears from Venezuelan women were examined by cytological techniques to identify malignant and pre-malignant cervical changes, as well as to identify Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) DNA types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33 and 35. Of these smears, 119 were from nonmonogamous women who participated in a cervical carcinoma screening program. In this group, HPV-DNA was detected by hybridization in 42 samples (35%) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in 13 (11%). Forty-six monogamous aboriginal women were similarly studied and no evidence of abnormal cytology or HPV-DNA of the types studied here was found in any of them. In the non-monogamous group, age at first sexual intercourse and index of parity were not associated with cervical HPV infection and/or CIN. The rates of HPV infection, however, were significantly different between the two populations, confirming that sexual behavior involving multiple partners is associated with HPV infection.