Adeno-associated virus and human papillomavirus types in cervical samples of pregnant and non-pregnant women

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of AAV and HPV DNA and their types in cervical secretion from pregnant and non-pregnant women.Study designThe samples were obtained from 40 pregnant and 62 non-pregnant women who were attended at the outpatient clinic of the Federal University Hospital of Espírito Santo, Southeastern Brazil. AAV and HPV were investigated by PCR and typed by PCR and/or RFLP.ResultsThe occurrence of AAV in all samples was 25.5% (26/102): 81% (21/26) and 19% (5/26) for AAV2/3 and AAV5 species, respectively. AAV were observed in 35% (14/40) and 19% (12/62) of pregnant and non-pregnant women, respectively. HPV occurred in 22% of all samples; 25% (10/40) in pregnant and 20% (12/60) in non-pregnant women. HPV types were determined for 72.7% of the strains, most of which classified as high-risk. AAV–HPV co-infection was observed in 15.4% (4/26), mostly in pregnant women.ConclusionsThere was a greater prevalence of AAV and HPV in pregnant than in non-pregnant women, which suggests that the gestational state may play a role in reactivating the viruses.