Ginekol Pol. 2026 Jul 13. doi: 10.5603/gpl.109046. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether vaginal microbiota (VM) composition is associated with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) persistence.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ethics committee approval was obtained on March 7, 2024. Following completion of the two-year prospective clinical follow-up, data collection and analysis were performed between March 15, 2024, and August 15, 2024. The study was considered completed upon final data analysis and included a total of 98 women: 49 women who cleared HR-HPV infection at the two-year follow-up and 49 women with persistent HR-HPV infection. Vaginal swab samples were collected, cultured, and analyzed, with particular attention to Lactobacillus species. Vaginal microbiota profiles were evaluated and compared between groups.
RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of sociodemographic characteristics. No statistically significant differences were observed between HPV-negative and HPV-positive women or between HPV 16/18-positive and other HR-HPV positive groups with respect to Community State Types (CSTs) (p > 0.05). Overall vaginal microbiota composition did not differ significantly between HPV-positive and HPV-negative women. However, a statistically significant difference in CST distribution was observed between women with single and multiple HR-HPV infections (p = 0.002).
CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal microbiota composition does not differ significantly between HPV-positive and HPV-negative women. In contrast, significant differences are observed between women with single and multiple HR-HPV infections.
PMID:42439027 | DOI:10.5603/gpl.109046
