Molecular Detection of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Abnormal Cytological Findings in Cervical Cytology Samples Collected in San Pedro Perulapán and Cuscatancingo, El Salvador
DOI:
https://doi.org/0.66778/RM.v09n01.05Keywords:
Cytologies, atypical squamous cells of the cervix of the uterus, uterine cervicitis, bacterial vaginosis, human papillomavirus (HPV)Abstract
Introduction: During October and December 2024, cervical cytology screening campaigns were conducted in the municipalities of San Pedro Perulapán and Cuscatancingo, both located in the metropolitan area of San Salvador, El Salvador. Objective: To detect human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical abnormalities. Methodology: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study involving cytological and molecular analyses of cervical samples collected via the Papanicolaou (Pap smear) technique. Population: The study included 87 women aged between 21 and 76 years who provided informed consent and underwent both cervical cytology and molecular testing for HPV. Results: Cervical cytology results indicated that 96.15% of participants tested negative for intraepithelial lesions, while 3.85% presented with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL). Additionally, mild to severe inflammation was observed in 11.54% of cases, and cytological features suggestive of bacterial vaginosis were identified in 7.69% of participants Molecular HPV screening revealed a 9.84% positivity rate for high-risk HPV. Conclusion: Cytological analysis revealed a low prevalence of abnormal findings, which were mainly associated with infections or benign and treatable conditions rather than malignancy. The observed HPV infection rate indicated the presence of high-risk HPV in the studied population, and the results are consistent with findings from other regional studies. These results underscore the importance of early detection of HPV infection and cervical abnormalities to enable timely clinical intervention and reduce the risk of progression to premalignant or malignant lesions.
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