Prevalence of Cervical Abnormalities and Co-existent Human Papilloma Virus Infection in a Mixed Bahraini Population

Abstract

Abstract

Objective:  To assess the association between cervical abnormalities and HPV infection in a mixed multi-cultural population of Bahrain.

Study Design:  Quasi - experimental study.

Settings:  Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Royal Bapco Hospital, Bahrain.

Material and Method:  All patients presenting in the Gynecological Department had cervical screening by pap smear. Those having abnormalities in cervical smear were offered HPV infection screening which was determined by PCR on a cervicovaginal cell colle-ction. Eligibility criteria included women in reproduc-tive age group. Women with obvious cervical patholo-gies were excluded from the study.

Results:  Out of 1082 pap smears, 64 (5.91%) were unsatisfactory, 922 (85.2%) were normal. 61 (5.6%) smears were inflammatory and 35 (3.2%) smears had epithelial abnormalities. Most frequently found epithe-lial abnormality was low grade squamous metaplasia (1.94%), cervical invasive lesions were the second common abnormality (0.64%). 54 women out of 96 with epithelial abnormalities were HPV positive. HPV 16 was found to be most prevalent.

Conclusion:  This study showed a significant correla-tion between HPV positivity and cervical epithelial abnormalities among Bahraini women. It also confirms the prevalence of cervical lesions to be significant in these women.