Human papillomavirus frequency of women at low risk of developing cervical cancer: a preliminary study from a Turkish university hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequency of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among low-risk women for cervical cancer in our region.


METHODS
In one year period, 230 consecutive women at low risk of developing cervical cancer were enrolled to the study. HPV DNA testing was performed by Hybrid Capture-I System (HC-I) and groups were constituted by HPV-positive and HPV-negative women. A comparison of the groups according to age, obstetric history and age at the beginning of sexual intercourse was made. Statistical analysis was performed.


RESULTS
The frequency rate of HPV infection was demonstrated to be 6.1% (n = 14) in our study (5.9% in women < or = 45 years and 7.7% in women > 45 years). Age-dependent differences were not observed between groups. There was no significant difference between HPV-positive and negative women regarding obstetric characteristics and mean age at first intercourse.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provided significant information on the frequency of HPV infection of low-risk women in our region. When considered with studies performed in other countries, our study may give some help on the natural history of HPV infection and cervical squamous lesions.
Ozçelik
B
B
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
Serin
I S
IS
Gökahmetoğlu
S
S
Başbuğ
M
M
Erez
R
R
D000328:Adult; D003127:Colposcopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology