title: Human papillomavirus infection in a population-based sample of women in Algiers, Algeria.
abstract: No data exist on the population prevalence of, nor risk factors for, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the predominantly Muslim countries of Northern Africa. Cervical specimens were obtained from 759 married women aged 15-65 years from the general population of Algiers, Algeria. Liquid-based cytology and HPV DNA detection, using a GP5+/6+-based polymerase chain reaction assay that detects 44 HPV types, were performed according to the standardized protocol of the International Agency for Research on Cancer HPV Prevalence Surveys. HPV prevalence in the general population was 6.3% (4.0% of high-risk types), with no significant variation by age. The prevalence of cervical abnormalities was 3.6%. HPV positivity was significantly higher among divorced women, women in polygamous marriages and those reporting husband's extramarital sexual relationships. HPV16/18 accounted for only 15% of HPV-positive women in the general population, compared with 77% of invasive cervical cancer diagnosed in the same city. In conclusion, we report that HPV infection among married women in Algeria is much lower than in sub-Saharan Africa and also lower than in the majority of high-resource countries.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de Santé Publique, Algiers, Algeria. dhammouda@voila.fr
authors.forename: Doudja
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hammouda
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Clifford
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pallardy
authors.forename: Ghassan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ayyach
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chékiri
authors.forename: Arab
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boudrich
authors.forename: Peter J F
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Snijders
authors.forename: Folkert J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: van Kemenade
authors.forename: Chris J L M
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: Anissa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouhadef
authors.forename: Zahia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zitouni
authors.forename: Djamila
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ikezaren
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franceschi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000462:Algeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral