title: Identification of human papillomavirus in pterygium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the involvement of human papillomavirus in the pathogenesis of primary and recurrent pterygium in northern Israel.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study examined 100 randomly chosen pterygium specimens with solar elastosis, from 100 patients who underwent pterygium surgery during 2012-2013 at the Emek Medical Center. All the specimens were analysed for evidence of human papillomavirus infection by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Human papillomavirus was not detected in any of the 100 pterygia samples by immunohistochemistry. These used samples were taken from 100 patients with mean age of 51.5 years and a primary: recurrent ratio of 8.09:1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude from our study that human papillomavirus infection does not appear to be an important pathogenic factor of pterygium in Israel.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.
authors: Shirin
authors: S
authors: Hamed-Azzam
authors: The Tissue Diagnostics and Cancer Research Institute, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.
authors: Natalia
authors: N
authors: Edison
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Briscoe
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.
authors: Abed
authors: A
authors: Mukari
authors: The Tissue Diagnostics and Cancer Research Institute, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.
authors: Irit
authors: I
authors: Elmalah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D011625:Pterygium / Q000821:virology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: human papillomavirus; immunohistochemistry; pathogenesis of pterygium; pterygium