title: Human papillomavirus infection: an anonymous prevalence study in South Wales, UK.
abstract: The objective of this study was to describe human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in South Wales in relation to age, cytology and social deprivation. This was an unlinked, prospective, anonymous, population-based study. DNA was purified from 1911 liquid-based cytology samples (mean age 37.7 years, cytology 93.2% negative, social deprivation average score 17.9) using quality assured techniques and the presence of virus determined by PCR-Enzyme Immuno Assay (PCR-EIA). 209 (10.9%) samples contained high-risk (HR) HPV infection of which 36.4% had multiple HR-HPV types. The most frequent HR types were HPV 16 (19.6%), HPV 35 (9.5%), HPV 66 (9.2%), HPV 59 (8.5%) and HPV 56 (7.6%). There was a strong association between HPV infection and cytological abnormality. Significantly more HR-HPV infections were detected in women under the age of 30 years (68.9% of all HR-HPV infections Fisher's exact test P=0.0001) compared to 30 years and above. There was no difference in HPV prevalence between different socioeconomic groups. The data presented suggest a different HPV type distribution in South Wales in comparison to that reported for other populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK. hibbittssj@cf.ac.uk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hibbitts
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Rieck
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beukenholdt
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dallimore
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McRea
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hauke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tristram
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Fiander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D035041:Anonymous Testing; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D012923:Social Class; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral