title: Cervical koilocytosis in hysterectomy specimens of Israeli residents and new immigrants.
abstract: There is an impression that the prevalence of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) among new immigrants from the former Soviet Union, is higher than among Israeli residents. Etiologically, SCC is associated with human papilloma virus infection (HPV). The purpose of the present study was to assess the prevalence of cervical HPV infection in new immigrants from the Soviet Union and in Israeli residents as indicated by the presence of koilocytosis in hysterectomy specimens. The study group consisted of 304 women (60 new immigrants and 244 Israeli residents who underwent hysterectomy for benign reasons). The original histological slides of the cervix were reviewed with special attention to the presence of koilocytosis. The two study subgroups differed, as expected, with regard to some characteristics, but koilocytosis was not present in any of the cervical specimens of new immigrants nor of residents. Although the study subgroups may be too small or selective, our findings do not support a possible higher HPV infection rate among new immigrants, yet may indicate a low reservoir of HPV in new immigrants and residents, in line with the low SCC incidence in Israeli women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abramov
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fintsi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zakut
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Menczer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014586:USSR / Q000208:ethnology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*