RISK-FACTORS FOR GENITAL PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION IN POPULATIONS AT HIGH AND LOW-RISK FOR CERVICAL-CANCER

This study sought to determine risk factors for genital infection with papillomavirus (HPV) in Panamanian women 20-49 years old. Subjects we re randomly selected from Herrera and Panama provinces (cervical cance r incidence 79 and 25/100,000, respectively). Participants were interv iewed to determine sexual behavior. Cervicovaginal lavage specimens we re obtained to test for HPV DNA by commercial dot blot hybridization. HPV-16/18 DNA was detected significantly more frequently (5%) in Panam a than Herrera (2%) samples (P = .002). Clearly, infection with high-r isk HPV types alone cannot account for the differences in cervical can cer incidence between the two populations. HPV-16/18 detection decreas ed with increasing years of sexual experience among all women in Panam a and among women with multiple partners in Herrera. However, HPV-16/1 8 detection did not change with sexual experience among monogamous wom en in Herrera. Thus, the epidemiology of HPV is complex and reflects b oth virus- and population-specific factors.