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Human papillomavirus infection in aboriginal women from northeastern Argentina
– Reported, January 22, 2013
Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most frequent sexually transmitted bacterial infection (STBI) worldwide, with an estimated 89 million new cases per year. Up to 70% of such infections are asymptomatic and the detection of cases has an important epidemiological implication, because the main consequences (infertility, ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease and perinatal infections) of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections are often identical.Although many authors refer to an association between CT infection and dysplastic or neoplastic cervical atypia, epidemiological data have not yet provided consistent evidence about its real implication in cervical cancer (CC) development. However, the asymptomatic nature of CT infection, its long-term persistence in the absence of treatment, and its capability of inducing metaplasia and chronic inflammation are well-defined characteristics to strongly consider this bacteria as a potential cofactor for high-risk persistent HPV infection (the main proven cause of CC).
The annual mortality rate for CC in Argentina is 7.8/100,000 women, but this rate is three times higher in the northeastern region of the country, where a wide spectrum of Indian and isolated white communities live in unfavorable socioeconomic and health conditions.
It is well-known that CT infection may play a major role in the etiology of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia by facilitating high-risk HPV entrance and persistence. Probably, this is due to the chronic inflammation induced by the bacteria, and to the resistance to cell apoptosis that persistent CT infections appear to confer.
The overall prevalence of CT and HPV infections found in this study is very high, even greater than other Latin American prevalences. The epidemiological data obtained in this work referred to a specific population, but numerous small communities exist in a similar situation in northern Argentina. One could then suppose that similar infection rates prevail requiring effective and sustainable health policies to be implemented. In the case of HPV, this is very important in order to prevent CC development. For CT, its control is essential for preventing pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Our data may help physicians to prevent diseases in their gynecological practices, particularly when dealing with vulnerable populations.
CREDITS:
http://www.scielo.br/
Gerardo Daniel Deluca, Jorge Basiletti, Eduardo Schelover, Nicolás Díaz Vásquez, José Mario Alonso, Héctor Marcelo Marín, Raúl Horacio LuceroI, María Alejandra Picconi.
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