Abstract
Objectives: Intravaginal practices (IVPs) include washing, wiping, or inserting something inside the vagina. This study investigates the associations between IVPs and genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 200 female sex workers aged 18 to 35 years in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. From August to September 2014. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, IVPs, and other behaviors were collected through face-to-face interviews. Self-collected cervicovaginal specimens were tested for 37 HPV genotypes. Results: Multivariable Poisson regression models showed that a lower number of infecting HPV genotypes were associated with intravaginal washing in the past 3 months (incident rate ratios [IRR] = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-0.94) and often performing intravaginal washing shortly after sex (IRR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81–0.99). Intravaginal washing before vaginal sex, intravaginal wiping, and intravaginal insertion were not associated with HPV infection. Conclusion: These findings challenge the existing view that all types of vaginal cleansing are harmful. Specifically, intravaginal washing shortly after sex (mainly with water) may help prevent HPV infection in female sex workers, who have several partners and thus frequently expose to sources of HPV infection with different genotypes.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1765-1774 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Journal of Medical Virology |
Volume | 90 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was supported by a 2013 Developmental Grant from the Baylor-UTHouston Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), an NIH-funded program (AI036211). T C Bui was supported by a UTHealth Innovation for Cancer Prevention Research postdoctoral fellowship, grant RP101503 from The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, and a faculty fellowship from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment. T C Bui, D J Vidrine, and the preparation of this manuscript is also supported in part by a grant from the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, 092-016-0002 (PI: Vidrine). The authors thank Cambodian National AIDS Authority, Coalition to Address Sexual Exploitation of Children in Cambodia (COSECAM), and Cambodian Women's Development Agency for their support with data collection and fieldwork supervision.
Funding Information:
This study was supported by a 2013 Developmental Grant from the Baylor‐UTHouston Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), an NIH‐funded program (AI036211).
Funding Information:
T C Bui was supported by a UTHealth Innovation for Cancer Prevention Research postdoctoral fellowship, grant RP101503 from The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, and a faculty fellowship from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment. T C Bui, D J Vidrine, and the preparation of this manuscript is also supported in part by a grant from the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, 092‐016‐0002 (PI: Vidrine). The authors thank Cambodian National AIDS Authority, Coalition to Address Sexual Exploitation of Children in Cambodia (COSECAM), and Cambodian Women's Development Agency for their support with data collection and fieldwork supervision.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Keywords
- Cambodia
- douching
- female sex workers (FSWs)
- human papillomavirus (HPV)
- intravaginal practices (IVPs)