Epidemiological features of papillomatosis caused by the human papilomavírus in women attending the basichealth care clinic in Nova Iguaçu County, State of Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

Introduction: viral diseases have affected humans for thousands of years; however, viruses were only recently determined to be associated with human malignant neoplasias. The discovery of the relationship between cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV) has significant implications in the health care of women. Objective: the aim of this study was to use an epidemiological survey to investigate the variables that composed the profile of female patients with suspicion of cervical HPV infection who attended Nova Iguaçu General Hospital (Hospital Geral de Nova Iguaçu – HGNI) in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Methods: the patients attended Nova Iguaçu General Hospital from March 2009 to February 2010 and were interviewed using a pre-established questionnaire. Results: in total, 117 patients were interviewed. Based on the data that were supplied by the attending physicians, the average patient age was 34.5 years. The patients resided in different municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and 53 (44%) of the patients resided in Nova Iguaçu county. Overall, 60 patients (51%) reported four or more sexual partners, and 17 patients (15%) reported only one partner. A total of 105 women (90%) reported that they did not use condoms with their stable partners, and 9 women (10%) reported that they always used condoms with their partners. Conclusion: women with a mean age of 34.5 years who had four or more sexual partners may be at high risk for invasive carcinoma when persistent HPV infection, especially HPV type 16, is detected in them. We conclude that cervical cancer screening is essential in women aged 25 to 59 years.