Geographical variation in human papillomavirus prevalence in Mexican women with normal cytology

Objective: To determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and genotype distribution in Mexican women with similar lifestyles from two geographical regions who receive medical care from the Mexican Navy Health System, and to identify the associated sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics. Methods: Cervical swabs from 671 women, beneficiaries of the Mexican Navy Health System, from two distinct southern coast regions of Mexico, were analyzed. Data were obtained regarding sociodemographic variables and sexual and reproductive history. For HPV detection and typing, PCR with general primers and direct sequencing were performed on extracted DNA. Association with clinical variables was evaluated. Results: Most patients had a normal cytology or low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. A high prevalence of HPV was found (43.6%), with a significant difference between the two regions studied from the southwest Pacific coast of Mexico (37.6% in Acapulco, Guerrero vs. 49.7% in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán). Some differences were also found associated to HPV type distribution, particularly related to genotypes 18, 58, and 53. Factors influencing these differences could not be identified with the analysis of typical risk factors linked to the acquisition of an HPV infection. Conclusions: Regional differences in HPV prevalence and distribution show an apparent geographic boundary between the studied populations that deserves further analysis, taking into account other factors such as those related to the sexual partners.