Concomitant infections with human papillomavirus and various mycoplasma and ureaplasma species in women with abnormal cervical cytology

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of the present study is to verify possible association between infections with mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas and the presence of HPV infections in women diagnosed with abnormal cervical cytology.

Material/methods: The investigation included 387 non-pregnant women among whom: 62 were diagnosed with ASCUS, 167 with LSIL, 27 with HSIL, 49 with cervical carcinomas, and 82 females with normal cytology.The presence of HPV infection and identification of both ureaplasma and mycoplasma were confirmed by PCR using specific primers.

Results: HPV infections were demonstrated in 156 females (40%), with mycoplasmas and/or ureaplasmas were confirmed in 93 cases (24%). In HPV-positive patients, infections with mycoplasmas/ureaplasmas were more frequent, particularly for ureaplasmas (U. urealyticum p=0.004, U. parvum p=0.027). The percentage of females infected with U. urealyticum significantly increased in women diagnosed with cervical carcinoma as compared to controls.The statistical analysis demonstrated that the risk of HPV infection while already infected with any of the four analyzed species of Mycoplasmataceae increased two-fold. With concomitant of U. urealyticum infection, the risk of HPV infection was 4.7-fold greater than in the absence U. urealyticum infection.

Conclusion: Since the presence of U. urealyticum associates significantly with the HPV infection, genotyping of the ureaplasma species should be recomended.