Examining the Prevalence and Risk Factors of Genital Warts among HIV-Infected and HIV-Negative Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in Cameroon

Background Current research primarily focuses on high-risk strains of HPV associated with cervical cancer, overlooking risk factors for low-risk HPV infections like genital warts among vulnerable women, especially concerning their HIV serology. Understanding the interplay between genital warts, HIV status, and socio-cultural factors is crucial for informing targeted prevention to alleviate the burden of genital warts in vulnerable populations. Aims The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and risk factors of genital warts among women based on their HIV serostatus.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among women seeking gynecological consultation at a public Hospital in Cameroon. Data were collected through a survey and medical records, then analyzed using SPSS version 18.0.

Among 257 women attending the hospital, 60 had genital warts, with the majority being HIV-positive (63.33%). Notably, 67% of these women sought gynecology consultation for the first time for genital warts. The location and types of genital warts were associated with HIV status, with papule genital warts being more prevalent among HIV-infected women and acuminate warts among non-infected women. Additionally, associations were found between smoking, multiple sexual partners, and genital warts among HIV-positive women. The reliance on traditional medicine or homemade remedies (85%) and the high prevalence of self-medication (75%) were also observed.

Addressing socio-cultural barriers is essential to enhance healthcare-seeking behaviour, facilitate early detection and treatment, and alleviate the burden of genital warts and HIV. Efforts should prioritize awareness-raising, enhancing healthcare access, and integrating traditional medicine into comprehensive healthcare systems. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Funding Statement This study did not receive any funding Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Ethics committee/IRB Universite des Montagne gave ethical approval for this work I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Footnotes ↵# qfr3218{at}autuni.ac.nz kuetemartin{at}yahoo.fr Data Availability All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors