title: Are Muslim women less susceptible to oncogenic human papillomavirus infection? A study from rural eastern India.
abstract: Muslim women are known to have lower incidences of cervical cancer and/or human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Here we aim to determine any association that may be present between the oncogenic HPV16/18 infections and abnormal cytological lesions along with demographic and other attributes among Indian Muslim women (n = 478) and compare with the neighboring Hindus (n = 534) from a prospective cohort study. Agewise distribution of both subject-groups is similar. HPV16/18 infection is present in 9.6% Muslims and 7.5% Hindu women. Jointly atypical cells of undetermined significance (a typical cells of undetermined significance) and HPV16/18 are present in seven Muslim and two Hindu women. No high squamous intraepithelial lesions or cervical cancer is detected at the baseline. HPV16/18 infections show trends that varied with age, a nonlinear trend among Muslim women. In Hindu women the prevalence is highest at age < or =24 years, which linearly drops with increasing age. Abnormal cytology increases significantly in both religion-groups with increasing age. The data show that these Indian Muslim women are equally susceptible to HPV16/18 infection and for the development of abnormal cytology. There is a paucity in epidemiological data, which justifies the need to screen women of all religions for cervical cancer (that includes oncogenic HPV testing).
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, 203 B.T. Road, Calcutta 700-108, West Bengal, India. chandra@isical.ac.in
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duttagupta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laikangbam
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D018596:Hinduism; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007514:Islam; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011203:Poverty; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012423:Rural Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology