Prevalence and Molecular Epidemiology of Human Papillomavirus in Ecuadorian Women with Cervical Cytological Abnormalities

The relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer remains a topic of extensive research. This virus is responsible for mild and severe abnormalities that can slowly trigger some type of carcinoma with a strong association with sexual practice. Availability of new techniques for HPV tipification allow to better establish more common virus types associated to this neoplasia. The article presents prevalence and molecular epidemiology (PCR results) from 1000 female patients affiliated to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security (IESS), concurrent to Teodoro Maldonado Carbo Hospital in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, from July 2011 to August 2013. Results prove that the most prevalent types of HPV present are: HPV-16 (29, 77%); HPV-52 (16, 18%); HPV-51 (12, 30%); HPV-6 (9, 71%); and HPV-59 (8, 74%). Molecular epidemiology is quite distinct from that found in other parts of the world. Ecuador is importing Papillomavirus vaccines, and general idea from health authorities is that these vaccines offer protection against 75% of papilloma virus infections. Results presented in this study, suggest that this protection is less than 30% for women in the province of Guayas.