High-risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection determined by Hybrid Capture II assay in a Turkish university hospital outpatient clinic

OBJECTIVE: To determine the f requency of HPV infection using Hybrid Capture II assay and to compare the results with conventional Pap smear for screening cervical neoplasia. STUDY DESIGN: Between February 2001 and October 2002, 1032 patients admitted for routine Pap smear screening were recruited. Sexually active patients under the age of 60 were recruited for the study. All patients underwent a detailed history, gynecological examination, Hybrid Capture II test, and Pap test. High-risk HPV DNA positive patients were subjected to colposcopy and guided biopsy when indicated. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 36.8±9.3. Forty-one (4.0%) were positive for high risk HPV. Highest rate of infection was observed in patients between ages of 30-34 years (10/182, 5.5%). Colposcopic examination was negative in 24 patients. Of the remaining 17 patients who underwent guided biopsies, 5 had low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), 1 had high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), and 11 had chronic infection. HPV testing could identify 3 additional patients with LSIL among Pap test negative group. Age, parity, socioeconomic status, contraceptive method, age of first sexual intercourse, cigarette smoking did not correlate with HPV inf ection. CONCLUSION: The f irst report, to our knowledge, of high-risk HPV infection rate as 4.0% in a Turkish population seems to be in accordance with the previous reports from other countries. Combination of HPV testing and Pap smear improv es diagnostic performance for detection of cervical neoplasia.