Background: Chlamydia trachomatis interaction with HR-HPV types has highlighted a central role in cervical cancer
development. The aim of this study was to investigate HPV prevalence and genotypes distribution in women at risk
for C. trachomatis infection and negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy.
Methods: 1071 cervical swabs were tested for C. trachomatis by Real Time PCR and genotyping by ompA gene
sequencing. Additionally, a quantitative Real time-PCR was performed to assess the expression of the C. trachomatis
Hsp60–encoding gene (Ct604 portion), linked to a persistent status of infection. HPV infection and genotypes was
investigated in C. trachomatis positive women using Luminex technology.
Results: C. trachomatis infection was detected in 53 out of 1071 (4.5%) samples, of which the 53% resulted positive
for Hsp60 gene expression. The overall prevalence of HPV infection in C. trachomatis positive samples was of 60.4%
(32/53): in 37.5% of samples was present a single genotype, while multiple genotypes infections were found in the
62.5% of them. Among women with a C. trachomatis chronic infection, 68% were HPV co-infected and the 79%
showed multiple genotypes. Should be noted that levels of C. trachomatis Hsp60 expression in HPV co-infected
women were significantly lower compared to women infected only with C. trachomatis. The C. trachomatis serotype
F was found in the majority of samples, independently of HPV infection.
Conclusions: A high prevalence of HPV multiple infections have been found in young women affected with a C.
trachomatis chronic infection. These observations suggested that the expression of CHSP60-1, interfering with both
apoptotic and cellular senescence pathways, may promote a favourable local microenvironment for HPV infection.
