Perinatal aspects of papillomavirus infection

The aim of this study was detection of the clinical and virological factors contributing to infection of the placenta and newborn’s airways by human papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV DNA was detected in 98 pregnant women, puerperae and their newborns, distributed into three hroups: 1) (n = 57) patients with abnormal cervix uteri or genital papillomatosis; 2) (n = 18) patients with HIV infection; and 3) control (n = 23). The HPV DNA was isolated from the genital tract in 84.2, 61.1, and 39.1% pregnant women in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and was associated with abnormalities of the cervix uteri and genital papillomatosis. A total of 84% placentas were infected mainly by the same genotype of HPV, associated with vaginitis, cervix uteri disease and genital papillomatosis, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, small for date fetus, and hydramnion. The number of HPV genotypes in the genital tract and the maternal viral charge determined the infection of the placenta and newborn’s airways.

human papillomavirus, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, pregnancy, placenta