Introduction:

Few studies are available about the circulation of human papillomavirus among Ecuadorian women, particularly those from Cañar Canton.

Objectives:

Determine the circulation of human papillomavirus, alterations in the cervical-vaginal cytology of women from Cañar Canton, and the behavior of some sociodemographic and clinical-epidemiological variables.

Methods:

An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2017 to September 2018. Cervical cells were collected from 100 women aged 15-55 years to determine viral infection and cytological alterations. An analysis was performed of the relationship of sociodemographic and clinical-epidemiological variables to viral infection.

Results:

Of the women examined, 51% (51/100) tested positive for the virus, with a predominance of oncogenic genotypes. Genotype 31 was the most common (56.9%; 29/51), followed by genotype 58 (43.1%; 22/51). Women aged over 50 years had a lesser probability of being infected (3.9%; 2/51). Infection probability was greater among single women, with a history of sexually transmitted infections, who suffered from inflammatory cervical processes, and smokers. Infection by genotype 66 was associated to the use of hormonal contraceptives (53.3%; 8/15); p= 0.045, PR= 3.08 CI95% (1.00-9.46). Of the sample cytologies, 97% were negative for malignancy; no case was diagnosed of high-grade lesions.

Conclusions:

The high prevalence of infection by oncogenic genotypes, as opposed to the low frequency of positive cytologies, points to the need to implement efficient programs aimed at early detection of cervical cancer in the population of Cañar Canton, as well as sexual and reproductive education campaigns.

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