Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia among women with papillomavirus infection compared to women with Trichomonas infection

This study was undertaken to determine if women with papillomavirus infection were more likely to develop cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) than women with other sexually transmitted infections. Women with cytologic evidence of papillomavirus infection and a comparison group of women with cytologic evidence of Trichomonas infection were identified from a reexamination of cervicovaginal smears initially evaluated between 1973 and 1981 in a private pathology laboratory. To identify subsequent CIN among these women the authors reviewed records of private obstetric and gynecology practices and public clinics through 1983. After accounting for possible confounding variables, including age, marital status, frequency of cervical cytologic examination, and selected characteristics of pregnancy history, a 2.7‐fold increase in the rate of CIN was found among the 613 women with prior papillomavirus infection compared to the 410 women with previous Trichomomas infection. The rate ratio was higher among women with more severe cervical neoplasia than for those with less severe neoplasia and for those followed for greater than 12 months than for those followed 7 to 12 months. The results of this study provide further evidence of the role of papillomavirus in the etiology of cervical cancer.