RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Bolivia has the highest prevalence of cervical cancer in South America and the prevalence of viral sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among people in urban cities is increasing. Little is known about the prevalence of viral STIs in rural communities, which generally have limited access to health care. In order to study the prevalence of viral STIs in rural Bolivia, we recruited women from villages and towns in the Department of La Paz in Bolivia. METHODS: Three hundred ninety-four female participants were assessed for IgG-antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV, anti-HBc), as well as for the presence of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) in dried blood spots. The prevalence of 12 high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV) was assessed by qPCR in dried cervicovaginal cell spots from 376 of these women. χ2 test was used to compare variables between the populations and binary logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with the positivity of the tests. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of HSV-2 was 53% and of HBV 10.3%. HBAg was detected in 15.8% of women with anti-HBV antibodies indicating chronic infection. The frequency of high-risk HPV infection was 27%, with the most prevalent high-risk HPV types being HPV 56, 39 and 31 followed by HPV 16 and 18. Finally, none of the 394 women were seropositive for HIV, and about 64% of the studied population was positive for at least one of the viral infections. CONCLUSIONS: Women in Bolivian rural communities in La Paz show a high prevalence of HBV, HPV and, in particular, HSV-2. In contrast, none of the women were HIV positive, suggesting that the HIV prevalence in this population is low. The pattern of high-risk HPV types differed from many other countries with a predominance of HPV-types not included in the Gardasil vaccine which was officially introduced in Bolivia in April 2017.
Assuntos
Herpesvirus Humano 2/genética , Infecções por Papillomavirus/diagnóstico , Doenças Virais Sexualmente Transmissíveis/diagnóstico , Adulto , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Bolívia/epidemiologia , Feminino , Genótipo , Infecções por HIV/diagnóstico , Infecções por HIV/epidemiologia , Hepatite B/diagnóstico , Hepatite B/epidemiologia , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite B/sangue , Antígenos de Superfície da Hepatite B/sangue , Herpesvirus Humano 2/isolamento & purificação , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Infecções por Papillomavirus/epidemiologia , Prevalência , Risco , População Rural , Doenças Virais Sexualmente Transmissíveis/epidemiologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke have been traditionally used by women of the Tacana tribe in the Bolivian Amazonas for genital hygiene and for treatment of genital infection/inflammation. AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess the ability of extracts from Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke to block genital viral infection by herpes simplex virus type 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke were collected from the Amazon region of La Paz, Bolivia. Extracts were prepared and screened for anti-viral activity against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) using both in vitro and in in vivo models of infection. RESULTS: Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke efficiently blocked HSV-2 infection of cell cultures without major cell cytotoxic effects. Extracts of Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke could prevent HSV-2 disease development when administered together with virus in a mouse model of genital HSV-2 infection. In vitro analyses revealed that both plant extracts exerted their anti-HSV-2 effects by interfering with viral cell attachment and entry, but could not block viral replication post entry. CONCLUSIONS: These studies show that extracts of Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke have potent antiviral activities against HSV-2 comparable to those two previously identified plants, Croton lechleri Müll. Arg. and Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Schult.) DC. These studies confirm that plants used by the Tacana tribe could be explored further for the development of novel topical antiviral microbicides.