ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Little is known regarding the human papillomaviruses (HPV) genotypes prevalent in women in South Africa, a country with a high incidence of cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and HPV genotypes in women with squamous abnormalities and normal cervixes participating in a community-based microbicide study. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 159 cervical specimens, including 56 specimens from women with abnormal cytology (cases) and 103 randomly selected specimens from women with normal cytology (controls), were collected. HPV was detected by consensus PCR primers and HPV genotypes were determined by Roche Linear Array HPV genotyping assay. RESULTS: HPV genotypes were found in 91% of cases and 40% of controls (p<0.005). High-risk HPV was detected in all high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs), 69% of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), 57% of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), and 86% of ASCUS in which HSIL could not be excluded (ASCUS-H), and 73% of HPV positive controls. HPV-35 was the predominant genotype in HSILs; HPV-18 in ASCUS; HPV-58 in ASCUS-H and HPV-16 in LSILs and controls. CONCLUSION: High-risk HPV prevalence was high in both cases and controls. HPV genotype distribution in HSILs was different from that reported worldwide and from other studies in South Africa.
Subject(s)
Cervix Uteri/virology , Neoplasms, Squamous Cell/complications , Papillomaviridae/classification , Papillomaviridae/isolation & purification , Papillomavirus Infections/epidemiology , Papillomavirus Infections/virology , Anti-Infective Agents/therapeutic use , Female , Genotype , Humans , Papillomaviridae/genetics , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Prevalence , South Africa/epidemiologyABSTRACT
During development the gastrointestinal tract undergoes marked changes in many physiological and anatomic properties. The remarkable degree of coordination between the development of the gastrointestinal function suggests that the processes may be signalled by some factors, such as weaning, nutrient intake, growth and hormones. The interactions between nutrition and intestinal development begin when fetuses start swallowing amniotic fluid and extend past weaning. Hormonal control plays a major role in the ontogeny of the small intestine. There are late effects of early nutrition, and the normal progress of ontogeny may be important to ensure that the intestine is capable of adaptation in later life.