TITLE:
Epidemiological and Cytopathological Profile of Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions of the Cervix in Patients with HIV/AIDS in the Context of Armed Conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
AUTHORS:
Dieudonné Kakusu, Olivier Nyakio, Mongwa Mbikilile Justin, Julien Bwama Botalatala, Bravo Ayoshibage, Éric Muchirembo, Chasinga Baharanyi Tchass, Baudouin Manwa, Denis Mukwege
KEYWORDS:
HIV-Positive, East of DR Congo, Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions, Precancerous Cervical Lesions, AIDS
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.15 No.12,
December
30,
2025
ABSTRACT: Background: Intraepithelial lesions of the cervix are the most common precursor of cervical cancer, and in HIV-affected patients, low immunity is associated with the occurrence of these lesions, but few studies have been carried out in the war-affected areas of eastern DRCongo to detect these lesions in rape victims and those exposed to armed confrontation. Objective: This study aimed to describe the epidemiological profile of squamous intraepithelial lesions of the cervix in HIV-positive patients, rape victims, and those exposed to armed confrontation. Methods: This descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at the Panzi General Reference Hospital in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after analyzing cervical smears from patients infected with HIV who had been victims of rape or exposed to armed group clashes. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics 26 software. Results: In this study, 103 HIV-positive patients were identified and screened. Thirty-seven were victims of rape and exposed to armed conflict, and 66 were exposed to armed conflict. Of these 103 patients, 56 underwent Pap smears, and 14 had precancerous cervical lesions. The mean age was 41 ± 10.3 years, with patients from urban areas accounting for 74.8% of cases. The number of former sexual partners was associated with the occurrence of precancerous lesions observed on cervical smears (p = 0.029, OR [0.020; 0.357]), as was the level of education (p = 0.036, [0.015; 0.442]; IC95%). No pregnancy constituted an increased risk of high-grade precancerous cervical lesions (ASC-H) (p Conclusion: This study suggests that precancerous lesions of the cervix in patients with HIV/AIDS who are victims of atrocities in eastern DRC remain underdiagnosed, suggesting that mass screening of all HIV-positive women remains a priority. Low-grade precancerous lesions of the cervix dominate cytopathological examinations in this context.