@article{768588dae8e84781a8f92e1de986989b,
title = "Human papillomavirus infection in women with and without cervical cancer in Karachi, Pakistan",
abstract = "Background:No data exist on the population prevalence of, or risk factors for, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in predominantly Muslim countries in Asia.Methods:Cervical specimens were obtained from 899 married women aged 15-59 years from the general population of Karachi, Pakistan and from 91 locally diagnosed invasive cervical cancers (ICCs). HPV was detected using a GP5/6 PCR-based assay.Results:The prevalence of HPV in the general population was 2.8%, with no evidence of higher HPV prevalence in young women. The positivity of HPV was associated with women's lifetime number of sexual partners, but particularly with the age difference between spouses and other husbands characteristics, such as extramarital sexual relationships and regular absence from home. The HPV16/18 accounted for 24 and 88% of HPV-positive women in the general population and ICC, respectively.Conclusion:Cervical cancer prevention policies should take into account the low HPV prevalence and low acceptability of gynaecological examination in this population.",
keywords = "Cervical cancer, HPV, Pakistan, Prevalence",
author = "Raza, {S. A.} and S. Franceschi and S. Pallardy and Malik, {F. R.} and Avan, {B. I.} and A. Zafar and Ali, {S. H.} and S. Pervez and S. Serajuddaula and Snijders, {P. J.F.} and {Van Kemenade}, {F. J.} and Meijer, {C. J.L.M.} and S. Shershah and Clifford, {G. M.}",
note = "Funding Information: The work was undertaken by Dr Syed Ahsan Raza during the tenure of an International Postdoctoral Fellowship at the International Agency for Research on Cancer and was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA (grant number 35537); the Association for International Cancer Research, UK (project grant number 08-0213); and the Institut National du Cancer, France (convention de recherche 07/3D1514/PL-89-05/NG-LC). We thank Dr Hamid Manzoor for coordinating the study at Sindh Government Qatar Hospital in Karachi and the team of midwives at the clinic and field site, and Anwar Kamal of {\textquoteleft}The Lab-Saddar{\textquoteright} in Karachi for technical assistance. We are grateful to Dr Arshad Altaf of Canada–Pakistan HIV/AIDS Surveillance Project for his advice during the survey in Karachi; as well as Dr Aliya Aziz, Associate Professor, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, and Dr Anwar Siddiqui, Associate Dean of Research, and Research Office of Aga Khan University in Karachi for their advice and support.",
year = "2010",
month = may,
day = "25",
doi = "10.1038/sj.bjc.6605664",
language = "English",
volume = "102",
pages = "1657--1660",
journal = "British Journal of Cancer",
issn = "0007-0920",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
number = "11",
}