Prevalence and risk factors of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection in southern Chinese women - a population-based study.

Stephanie Si Liu
Kelvin Yuen Kwong Chan
Rebecca Ching Yu Leung
Karen Kar Loen Chan
Kar Fai Tam
May Hiu Mei Luk
Sue Seen Tsing Lo
Daniel Yee Tak Fong
Annie Nga Yin Cheung
Zhong Qiu Lin
Hextan Yuen Sheung Ngan

Open link

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0019244

Publisher

Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Journal

issn:1932-6203

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Persistent high-risk type Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is recognized as a necessary cause of cervical cancer. This study aimed to compare the HPV prevalence and risk factors between women residing in Hong Kong (HK) and Guangzhou (GZ) region of China. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 1,570 and 1,369 women were recruited from HK and GZ, respectively. The cytology samples were collected and tested for HPV infection. The overall and type-specific HPV prevalence and the potential risk factors for acquisition of HPV infection were studied. Women with normal cytology in the GZ cohort had significantly higher HPV prevalence (10%) than those in the HK cohort (6.2%, p<0.001). The patterns of the age-specific HPV prevalen...