12/19/2025
๐๐น๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐: ๐๐ฟ. ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ
Cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer in women globallyโyet it is both treatable and vaccine-preventable. In Iquitos, Peru, Dr. Eva Clark is investigating how overlapping ge***al and intestinal infections, the vaginal microbiome, and local immune responses shape womenโs risk for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)โthe cause of cervical cancerโand other reproductive tract conditions. Her research has documented a high burden of bacterial vaginosis (BV), HPV, and intestinal protozoal infections, along with frequent co-infections in the same women.
Dr. Clark's team has shown that BV is a central driver of cervico-vaginal inflammation and altered microbial diversity and is associated with higher odds of HPV infection. These and other findings highlight how environmental conditions, sanitation, and polymicrobial exposures jointly influence cervical cancer risk pathways.
This work advocates for new, practical public health strategies, including integrated screening approaches that address ge***al infections and intestinal parasites together, and community-based interventions that improve water, sanitation, and access to preventive care. By targeting these upstream determinants of mucosal health, Dr. Clarkโs research could help reduce HPV-related disease and cervical cancer in low-resource settings around the world.
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Lean more about BCM National School of Tropical Medicine
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