Background: Self-collected vaginal specimens (SS) for the detection of HPV DNA is a viable screening option in women that live in disadvantaged areas with high morbi-mortality by cervical cancer.

Objectives: Evaluate the acceptance of the SS and its usefulness in the detection of HPV in comparison to the PCR MY09/11-GP5+/GP6+ system.

Methods: Sixty-two women that work for the Universidad Autonoma de Guerrero (Professors, administrative staff and maintenance staff) were included in the study. A questionnaire was applied to find out their knowledge about cervical cancer, HPV and their acceptance of the SS. Samples were obtained from each woman by SS and by an exo-endocervical scrape. HPV was detected by PCR MY09/11-GP5+/GP6+ and was typed by RFLPs or sequencing.

Results: Seventy-five percent of the women preferred the SS because they felt more comfortable and confident. Twenty-five percent did not prefer the self-test because they think the simple is not well taken and have more confidence in the Papanicolaou or because they do not have enough information to make a decision. HPV prevalence from the SS was 72.6% and from the exo-endocervical scrape, it was 95.2%. HPV prevalence in the SS was: HPV6(22.6%), HPV11 (1.6%), HPV16 (11.3%), HPV53 (4.8%), HPV 61 (1.6%), HPV 70(3.2%), HPV 81 (3.2%), HPV84 (4.8%), HPV86 (1.6%), HPV102 (1.6%), multiple infection (6.5%), HPV X (9.7%), HPV negative (27.4%). The prevalence in the exo-endocervical scrape was: HPV6 (38.7%), HPV11 (1.6%), HPV16 (17.7%), HPV31(3.2%),HPV53 (4.8%), HPV61 (1.6%), HPV66 (1.6%), HPV67 (1.6%), HPV70 (3.2%), HPV81(4.8%), HPV84 (1.6%), HPV86 (1.6%), HPV106 (1.6%), multiple infection (6.5%),HPV X (4.8%), HPV negative (4.8%).

Conclusions: The SS is well accepted among the University workers and it detects 3 out of 4 HPV infections, so it can be useful in women with cultural barriers that do not accept the Papanicolaou test, thus increasing the coverage of the early detection of cervical cancer program in Mexico.