title: A population-based study of the prevalence of HPV in three districts of Tamil Nadu, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of HPV infection among women from three districts of Tamil Nadu (Erode, Salem, and Namakkal).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 27, 2007, and December 15, 2009, 1800 women aged 20-70years who had normal cervical cytology were enrolled into a cross-sectional study. Participants completed interviews and provided first void urine samples for assessment of HPV infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 1699 eligible samples, 179 (10.5%) were HPV positive. HPV16 was the most common type (affecting 68 [4.0%] women), followed by HPV6 (58 [3.4%]). Among the 179 HPV-positive women, 71 (39.7%) were aged 36-45years. An annual income of less than 25 000 INR was significantly associated with HPV infection in all three districts (P<0.05). Regular intercourse was also associated with HPV in Erode and Salem (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Screening and prophylactic vaccines containing HPV16 and HPV6 should be promoted in western Tamil Nadu.
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India; Department of Microbiology, Vivekananda College of Arts and Science, Tiruchengode, India.
authors.forename: Belli T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Sureshkumar
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India.
authors.forename: Santhanam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shanmughapriya
authors.affiliation: Dr. BRD Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Bhudev C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India. Electronic address: natarajaseenivasan@rediffmail.com.
authors.forename: Kalimuthusamy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Natarajaseenivasan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003075:Coitus; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16; D052163:Human papillomavirus 6; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: HPV; HPV16; Normal cytology; Prevalence; Tamil Nadu