HIV/Aids and genital intraepithelial neoplasias

Abstract

The present article aims to review some crucial points of the relation between Human Immunode-ficiency Virus (HIV) and Genital Intraepithelial Ne-oplasias and also to make rise others controversial questions. The first cases reported led, in 1993, the CDC at Atlanta, include as a criteria of definition of Aids , the cervical cancer. The subject is up-to-date untill now, considerin g the increasing num-ber of women HIV infected in last decade, reaching in some regions the proportion of 2 men for each infected woman. Besides, in Brazil the prevalence of cervical cancer has been persistently high in last decades, acting as an important cause of death by  cancer in women during their most active life-phase. Studies performed with HIV-positive women showed an association betwe-en some Human Papillomavirus types and the progression into cervical cancer, that maybe facilitated depending on imunological levels of HIV infection. Although, se-vera! controversies still remain about the theme, mainly after the antiretroviral therapy initiation and its reflection on the improved immunological status, as well as patients life duration, becoming them cronica! patients. Should it be a new risk fac-tor to be considered in this relation? These and other s questions are approached here, in order to go further on the theme and also to provide infor-mation to the development of the research in this area.