• Irina Huică, Iulia Virginia Iancu, Anca Botezatu, Adriana Pleşa, Demetra Socolov, Sergiu Teleman, and Gabriela Anton.
• 1Molecular Virology Department, St. S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Bucharest, Romania; 2Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Cuza Voda Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinical Hospital, Iasi, Romania.
• Acta Clin Croat. 2019 Sep 1; 58 (3): 410416410-416.

AbstractThe aim of the study was to assess the role of behavioral factors in persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) genital infection. Out of a cohort of 605 women included in a study of HPV infection prevalence, 142 HPV positive women (aged 18-57) were retested after a 12-month interval. None of the patients underwent surgical treatment during that period. Selected patients were asked for a second smear for cytologic analysis and HPV genotyping. A questionnaire that included information regarding reproductive health, sexual activity and smoking status was filled-in. After 12 months, 46 of 142 (32.39%) women had persistent HPV infection, with genotypes 16 and 18 found in 27 cases. On the other hand, 17 of 142 (11.97%) women had acquired new infections replacing the baseline genotypes. In our study, smoking (OR=2.320, p=0.0330) and sexual behavior (OR=5.333, p=0.0180 for more than three sexual partners; OR=2.427, p=0.0238 for cases where the partner was involved in another sexual relationship) were associated with viral persistence, while long-term contraception did not yield statistically significant results.

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