Determinants of human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 infections in the lower female genital tract in an Italian population

The prevalences of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 infection were determined by a non isotopic molecular hybridization assay on cervical scrapes from 738 women affected by gynaecological lesions different from malignancies. The correlation with known epidemiological risk factors for cervical neoplasia, such as sexual habits, smoking and pill use, was investigated. The overall HPV prevalence rate was 29.8% (220/738). Viral DNA sequences were detected in 26.9% (122/452) of morphologically normal cervices, in 75 of 224 HPV lesions (32.5%), in 1 case of 3 HSV2 lesions and in 22 of 59 dysplastic lesions (37.3%), and the frequency was increasing with the severity of CIN from 22.7% of CIN I to 57.1% of CIN III. The most relevant factor as relative risk for the presence of HPV 16/18 was the multiple lifetime sexual partners, whereas the other investigated factors were mainly associated with the clinically manifested HPV infection.