title: Evaluation of cervical smears at King Hussein Medical Centre, Jordan, over three and a half years.
abstract: Cervical smears taken from women referred for a check-up or with vaginal itching/discharge over a period of 3.5 years were reviewed at the King Hussein Medical Centre, Jordan. All smears were fixed with 96% alcohol, stained with Papanicolaou stain and screened microscopically. Of the smears from 1176 women aged 18-70 years, 4.5% were classified as inadequate, 7.7% were normal and 79.9% showed non-specific inflammation. Abnormal vaginal flora was found in 4.8% of cases, Candida albicans in 1.2%, Trichomonas vaginalis in 0.9% and actinomycosis in 1 case. Dysphasic changes were rare: 9 cases (0.8%) were classified as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and 2 cases (0.2%) were low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). No cases of human papillomavirus infection (HPV) or cervical carcinoma were found.
authors.affiliation: Princess Iman Research and Laboratory Sciences Centre, King Hussein Medical Centre, Amman, Jordan.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Malkawi
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Abu Hazeem
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hajjat
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Hajjiri
mesh_terms: D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D012945:Social Values; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*