title: Human papillomavirus genotypes and their prevalence in a cohort of women in Trinidad.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes and their relative prevalences were determined in a cohort of 310 sexually active women in Trinidad, West Indies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cervical samples were collected with Ayre's spatulas and endocervical brushes. Samples were used for the conventional Papanicolaou test and for determining HPV genotypes by amplification of a section of the viral L1 gene, followed by DNA sequencing and probe hybridization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HPV infections were identified in 126 of 310 (40.6%) women. Of them, 83 (65.8%) were infected with high-risk HPV, 16 (12.7%) with low-risk HPV, and 27 (21.4%) with HPV types of unknown risk. HPV 52 (12.7%) was the most frequently occurring high-risk type, followed by HPV 66 (10.3%), HPV 16 (9.5%), and HPV 18 (8.6%). High-risk types HPV 16 and HPV 66 were each found in 3 (20.0%) and HPV 18 was found in 1 (6.6%) of the 15 women with abnormal cytology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cervical HPV prevalence and heterogeneity of HPV genotypes are high in this Trinidad cohort. The relative importance of HPV genotypes in the development of cervical lesions needs further investigation in Trinidad in order to better understand the epidemiology of HPV infections as well as to determine the role of HPV testing in the screening, prevention, and control of cervical cancer. This pilot study provided important information on the prevalence of HPV genotypes, which will be used in future nationwide studies.
authors: Caribbean Epidemiology Centre, Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors: Glennis M
authors: GM
authors: Andall-Brereton
authors: Felicia
authors: F
authors: Hosein
authors: Rosa A
authors: RA
authors: Salas
authors: Wayne
authors: W
authors: Mohammed
authors: Michele A
authors: MA
authors: Monteil
authors: Vanessa
authors: V
authors: Goleski
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Severini
authors: Sarah M M
authors: SM
authors: Quesnel
authors: Christine V F
authors: CV
authors: Carrington
authors: Laura Lee
authors: LL
authors: Boodram
authors: Eldonna
authors: E
authors: Boisson
authors: Patrick E
authors: PE
authors: Akpaka
authors: Rosemarie C
authors: RC
authors: Paul