Suggestive changes of human papillomavirus infection in students at a public university

Abstract

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections are a global public health problem. Objective: to analyze the results of cervical-vaginal cytologies with suggestive changes of Human Papillomavirus infection in students of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Carabobo, who was attended the gynecology consultation of the Ambulatory “Nuestra Seora de la Luz” in 2016-2017. Method: descriptive, cross-sectional study. Population consisting of all students of the Faculty of Health Sciences who was attended the Gynecology Consultation at the Ambulatory mentioned above during the period under study. Non-probabilistic and intentional sample, inclusion criteria: age, acceptance to belong to the study by signing informed consent, and not suffering pathologies at the time of sampling or being pregnant. The collection of the information was carried out through the interview and subsequent cytological examination, and the cytological study was expressed according to the BETHESDA 2001 system. The sample for cervical-vaginal cytology was performed according to standard procedure. Results: average age of 21.43-2.47 years, 40.2% belonging to the low mean stratum, 9.2% smokers, sexarquia in ages 18-20 years in 52.6% of cases, 70% with 2 or 3 pairs. As for the cytology result, 9.2% was suggestive for Human Papillomavirus infection, while with the BETHESDA 2001 System, in the epithelial cell abnormalities section, 63.6% showed low-grade Human Papillomavirus -associated. Conclusions: in the sample, the suggestive changes to Human Papillomavirus infection, was higher than that found in other countries, whereas most interviewees presented risk factors to contract it, so emphasis on education is recommended conducting annual cytology to the at-risk population.