Prevalence of high risk human papilloma virus among Iraqi women with abnormal cervical cytology

Abstract

Persistent infection with high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) has been recognized as the primary etiological agent for the development of premalignant and malignant cervical lesions. Cervical cancer represents a major health problem among female especially in developing countries. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of oncogenic HPV genotypes among Iraqi women who had abnormal cytological findings by using endpoint multiplex PCR. Fifty cervical swab specimens were collected from women complaining from gynecological problems and another thirty specimens obtained from apparently healthy women as a control group. Cytological examination showed that lesions in the forms of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), atypical squamous cells cannot exclude HSIL (ASC-H), non-specific cervicitis and squamous cervical cancer were observed in 30%, 24%, 20%, 4%, 16% and 6%, respectively. High-risk HPV DNA was detected in 19% among women population with the oncogenic HPV-16, -18 and -58 were being the most prevalent high risk genotypes among women at frequencies of 26.7%, 13.3% and 13.3%, respectively. The detection of high-risk HPV and its association with the ASC-US lesions may serve as a prognostic factor prior to cervical cancer disease progression.