Prevalência do papilomavírus humano (HPV) em Belém, Pará, Brasil, na cavidade oral de indivíduos sem lesões clinicamente diagnosticáveis

Prevalence and Genotyping of HPV in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Northern Brazil

Highly oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is well known to be associated with and a risk factor for various types of oral carcinomas such as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of this study was to evaluate and describe the HPV-induced OSCC prevalence and genotyping in the city of Belém, northern Brazil. This cross-sectional study features 101 participants who attended an oral pathology referral center in a dental college looking for diagnoses of oral lesions (OL). After signing the consent term and meeting the inclusion criteria, all participants went through a sociodemographic and epidemiological questionnaire. Then, OL were collected by excisional or incisional biopsy depending on OL size; after that, OL tissues were preserved in paraffin blocks to histopathological diagnoses. Afterwards, paraffin blocks were divided into benign and malignant/premalignant lesions based on the classification of potentially malignant disorders of the oral and oropharyngeal mucosa. Then, the paraffin blocks had DNA extraction performed by the ReliaPrep FFPE gDNA Miniprep method in order to identify HPV DNA of high oncogenic risk and low oncogenic risk. Then, the viral DNA was amplified and typed using the Inno-Lipa genotyping Extra II method, and the collected data were analyzed by Chi-square and G-tests. In total, 59/101 (58.4%) OL were malignant/premalignant lesions, of which OSCC was the most prevalent with 40/59 (67.7%) and 42/101 (41.6%) benign lesions. The most common area of OL incidence was upper gingiva 46/101 (45.5%). Regarding HPV DNA detection, approximately 27/101 (26.7%) had positive results; of these, 17/59 (28.8%) were malignant/premalignant lesions, and the most prevalent genotypes detected were 16, 18, 52 and 58, while among benign lesions, 10/42 (66.6%) had HPV-positive results, and the most prevalent genotypes detected were 6, 11 and 42. Age range was the only risk factor with a significant association between HPV and OSCC presence (p-value: 0.0004). A correlation between OSCC and oral HPV among analyzed samples could not be demonstrated in our small cohort.

Epidemiology of HPV Related Malignancies

Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world and had been linked to both anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. It causes nearly 100% of cervical cancers and an increasing portion of oropharyngeal cancers. The geographical burden of cervical HPV infection and associated cancers is not uniform and is mainly found in low middle income countries in South America, Africa, and Asia. However, HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer is rapidly becoming more prevalent in high middle income countries. With the development of vaccines which prevent HPV infection, the World Health Organization has designated the extirpation of HPV and its associated cancers a priority. Countries that have implemented adequate vaccine programs have shown a decrease in HPV prevalence. Understanding the epidemiology of HPV and its associated cancers is fundamental in improving vaccine programs and other health programs.

Prevalence of oral HPV infection in unvaccinated young adults in Brazil

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to report the national prevalence of oral HPV infection among unvaccinated women and men aged 16-25 years who utilized the public primary care services.

METHODS

POP-Brazil is a cross-sectional, multicentric, nationwide survey conducted between September 2016 and November 2017. Recruitment was based in 119 public primary care practices in 26 state capitals and the Federal District of Brazil. Trained health professionals conducted face-to-face interviews. Oral samples were collected with mouthwash and gargle cycles. Genotyping was performed using the Roche PCR-based linear array genotyping test. Sampling weights by sex and age were applied.

RESULTS

Valid oral HPV samples were collected from 5071 (96.88%) participants; 4005 women and 1066 men. Mean participant age was 21.63 years. Overall HPV prevalence was 1.69% (n = 73, 95% CI 1.05-2.32). Thirty individuals presented at least one high-risk HPV type [0.57% (95% CI, 0.29-0.85)]. There were no associations between age, sex, sociodemographic characteristics, drug use or sexual behavior and oral HPV prevalence.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of oral HPV infection in Brazilian teenagers and young adults is low, with no sociodemographic or behavioral correlates.

The Epidemiological Impact of STIs among General and Vulnerable Populations of the Amazon Region of Brazil: 30 years of Surveillance

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) represent a worldwide public health problem and, although many of them are curable, they continue to be neglected, especially in areas with a low human development index, such as in the northern region of Brazil. This review describes the results of 30 years of studies at the Virus Laboratory at the Federal University of Pará, including the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of HIV-1, HTLV-1/2, HPV, HBV, Treponema pallidum and Chlamydia trachomatis among urban and non-urban populations, and also in vulnerable groups in the Brazilian Amazon. Control strategies and challenges in preventing STIs are discussed considering this immense geographic region, where essential health services are unable to reach the entire population, especially the most vulnerable, such as female sex workers, people who use illicit drugs, remnants of quilombolos and indigenous communities.

Oral HPV among people who use crack-cocaine: prevalence, genotypes, risk factors, and key interventions in a remote Northern Brazilian region

OBJECTIVES

This study estimated the prevalence, genotype distribution, and the factors associated with oral human papillomavirus (HPV) in people who use crack-cocaine (PWUCC) in a remote Brazilian region.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study used community-based snowball sampling methods for participant recruitment. Socio-demographic, economic, drug use, and health-related information was collected from 278 PWUCC in the cities of Bragança and Capanema in northern Brazil. HPV diagnosis and genotyping were performed by a real-time polymerase chain reaction. Logistic regression identified the factors independently associated with oral HPV.

RESULTS

In total, 111 (39.9%) PWUCC had HPV DNA. Several genotypes were identified, some of them with high oncogenic potential. Crack-cocaine use ≥40 months, unprotected sex, more than 10 sexual partners in the last 12 months, oral sex, exchange of sex for money or illicit drugs, oral mucosa lesions, not having access to public health services, and the absence of vaccination against HPV was all associated with HPV DNA.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified important epidemiological characteristics of oral HPV infection among PWUCC-a highly marginalized risk population-underlining the high prevalence of oral HPV with oncogenic potential and the urgent need for control and prevention measures, especially vaccination against this virus.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

It is necessary to understand the prevalence and risk factors of oral HPV in risk populations as people who use crack-cocaine.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in Brazil: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of genital, anal and oral HPV infection in Brazil through systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

We searched EMBASE, LILACS, MEDLINE, Web of Science and SciELO from inception to December 2018. Original research articles that assessed the prevalence of genital (i.e., cervical, penile), anal and oral HPV infection in Brazil were selected in pairs by independent authors. No sex, age, HPV vaccination, language or date restrictions were applied. HPV prevalence was estimated and stratified according to risk factors population and by geographic area throughout the country. The study prevalence was pooled using a random effects model. Analysis was performed using R (version 3.5.2), packages meta version 4.9-4 and metaphor 2.0-0. This review is registered on PROSPERO under protocol number CRD42016032751.

RESULTS

We identified 3,351 references. After the screening process, 139 of them were eligible for this systematic review (57,513 total participants). Prevalence of cervical HPV was 25.41% (95% CI 22.71-28.32). Additionally, prevalence was 36.21% (95% CI 23.40, 51.33) in the penile region, 25.68% (95%CI 14.64, 41.04) in the anal region, and 11.89% (95%CI 6.26, 21.43) in the oral region. Subgroup analysis showed prevalence in each anatomic site was higher in high-risk populations.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of HPV is high in the Brazilian population and varies by population risk and anatomic body site, with lower rates in the oral cavity compared to that in the cervical, penile and anal region. Studies on HPV have primarily been developed to evaluate infection and cancer in the cervical region. There is a profound lack of HPV data in many geographic regions of Brazil and for different anatomic sites.