Human papillomavirus prevalence and type distribution among women attending routine gynecological examinations in Saudi Arabia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cervical cancer (CC) is caused by persistent infection with high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) types. In Saudi Arabia which has a population of 6.5 million women over the age of 15 years, approximately 152 new cases of CC are diagnosed and 55 women die from the disease annually. Nevertheless current epidemiological data for HPV in this population are limited. This study evaluated the prevalence and type distribution of HPV and documented the awareness of HPV infection and health-related behavior among Saudi and non-Saudi women attending routine examination.

Methods

This was an observational, epidemiological cross-sectional study conducted between April 2010 and December 2011 at three hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Cervical samples from women aged ≥15 years, who

SUBMITTER: AlObaid A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4272558 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature