POPULATION SCREENING FOR HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS IN WOMEN IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF TUNJA CITY, BOYACÁ

Abstract Background Human Papillomavirus (HPV) detection is traditionally performed using cervicovaginal or vaginal cuff samples. However, first-void urine has also proven to be suitable for detecting HPV DNA. This could facilitate access to viral screening tests. The objective of this research was to determine and compare the presence of HPV genotypes in cervicovaginal and urine samples from women in Tunja, Colombia. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 161 women aged 20 to 65 living in Tunja. Cervicovaginal/vaginal cuff and urine samples were collected to detect HPV genotypes. Concordance, sensitivity, specificity, and association with sociodemographic/gynecological variables were evaluated. Results HPV prevalence was 29.2% in cervicovaginal samples, while in urine it was 32.9%. Genotypes 52 and 68 were the most prevalent in both cervical and urine samples. Comparison of HPV detection between samples revealed weak concordance (kappa=0.392). Sensitivity and specificity of viral detection in urine were 61.7 and 78.9, respectively. A significant positive association was found in women aged 18-37 who had initiated sexual activity early and had menarche before age 13. Conclusions The prevalence of HPV infection was low. High-risk genotypes were identified in both types of samples. The diagnostic performance of the urine test was low, demonstrated by the heterogeneity of the results between the two samples.