Schistosome Infection is Associated with High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Persistence, Together with Altered Cervicovaginal Microbiota

Abstract

Schistosoma haematobium infection may impair female genital mucosal antiviral defense. We sought to determine whether women with S. haematobium infection had higher odds of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) persistence, a pre-requisite to cervical cancer. We also examined cervicovaginal dysbiosis, which has been linked to HR-HPV persistence and schistosome infection. In 96 Tanzanian women with baseline and 9–12-month follow-up samples, we performed HPV genotyping, schistosome antigen quantification, and 16S rRNA sequencing. Both S. haematobium (Odds ratio (OR): 4.7 [1.3–16.5], p=0.017) and Gardnerella-dominant microbiome (p=0.049) were associated with HR-HPV persistence, suggesting these factors may contribute to high cervical cancer rates in Africa.