Are Muslim women less susceptible to oncogenic human papillomavirus infection? A study from rural eastern India.
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).
Duttagupta
C
C
Biochemistry Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, 203 B.T. Road, Calcutta 700-108, West Bengal, India. chandra@isical.ac.in
Sengupta
S
S
Roy
M
M
Sengupta
D
D
Bhattacharya
P
P
Laikangbam
P
P
Roy
S
S
Ghosh
S
S
Das
R
R
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