Genital Hygiene and Strategies for HPV Prevention

Abstract

Cervical cancer (CC) is 80% of global burden, the second most common cancer in women worldwide and leading cancer in Indian women. Approximately 40 Human papillomavirus (HPV) types infect cervix through sexual transmission [1,2]. HPV is a chronic disease and product of infection of sexually active women along with poverty, lower education level, low standards, multiparity, multiple sexual partners, using oral contraceptive pills, tobacco smoking, illiteracy, malnutrition and poor genital hygiene, dietary deficiencies of vitamins, co-infection with HIV, Herpes simplex virus type 2, Chlamydia trachomatis, bacterial vaginosis immunosuppressant drugs are all co-factors that progress from HPV infection to CC [3]. These co-factors are un-addressed widespread issues in the undeveloped sectors of the world. Intervention to increase program to prevent the development of unhealthy life behaviors and reduce the non-HPV risk factors can have immense impact on decreasing morbidity and mortality of genital malignancies and many preventable communicable and non-communicable human ailments [4]. It is unrecognized infection without any specific discern signs and symptoms. The persistent infections are phylogenetically related to either HPV 16 (serotype 31, 33, 35, 52, and 58) or HPV 18 (serotype 39, 45, 59, and 68) [5]. It is the most important risk factor for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive cervical cancer. HPV serotypes 16 and 18 account for nearly 76.7% of CC in India. CC occurs early and strikes at the productive period of women with rise in incidence in 30-34 years of age and peaks at 55-65 years, with a median age of 38 years. More than 80% of the sexually active women acquire HPV infection by 50 years of age.