Decreased prevalence of dysplasia in high-risk population immigrants in a low-risk area for cervical cancer.

Incidence rates of cervical cancer and its precursors vary considerably, with the highest rates found in developing countries. Differences are influenced by endogenous and exogenous factors. Comparing cytologic abnormality incidence rates from a high-risk population in the original high-risk area, with those of women from this high-risk population who have immigrated to a low-risk area could give insight in the significance of endogenous versus environmental factors. Smears collected from Surinamese women attending the Surinamese screening program and smears collected from immigrant Surinamese women attending the Dutch screening program were cytologically analyzed using the Dutch microscopical coding system KOPAC. Statistical analysis was performed by using logistic regression to calculate (age-adjusted) odds ratios (ORs). The age-adjusted ORs of having dysplasia were higher for Surinamese women living in Suriname versus Surinamese immigrant women and increased with increasing P-scores: 0.77 (0.31-1.91) for borderline changes, 1.62 (0.58-4.57) for mild dysplasia, and 3.20 (1.55-6.60) for moderate to severe dysplasia/neoplasia. We conclude that fewer cases with dysplasia are present in a high-risk population that has immigrated to a low-risk area for cervical cancer than in the high-risk population continuously living in a high-risk area. This finding emphasizes the importance of environmental factors.

[Primary cytomegalovirus infection in pregnant women of different socioeconomic status]. / Primoinfección por citomegalovírus en embarazadas de diferente condicion socioeconomica.

Cytomegalovirus infection is the first cause of viral congenital infections. We studied the incidence of primary cytomegalovirus infection, searching for the presence of antibodies with an ELISA technique, in 939 pregnant women of a low socioeconomic level, attending a public outpatient clinic and 123 pregnant university students, attending a special outpatient clinic for students. The initially seronegative women were tested again during the second and third trimester of pregnancy to identify primary infections. The presence of cytomegalovirus congenital infection in the newborns of infected mothers was investigated isolating the virus in cell cultures from urine samples. There was a higher prevalence of infection among low socioeconomic status women (95 vs 69.9%). Two women (one student and one coming from a low socioeconomic status) had a primary infection and in the newborn of the student, a congenital cytomegalovirus infection was detected. It is concluded that women's socioeconomic condition is not a risk factor for cytomegalovirus primary infection during pregnancy.

Herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus in pregnant Chilean university students.

Virus isolation tests were performed during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy on a group of 163 students who received prenatal care at the University of Chile's Student Medical and Dental Service to determine the possible existence of genital herpes or cytomegalovirus infections. Vaginal secretion samples tested for herpes simplex virus (HSV) and urine samples tested for cytomegalovirus (CMV) were inoculated onto cell cultures and examined by immunofluorescent procedures using monoclonal antibodies. HSV was detected in five subjects, only one of whom had herpetic lesions, and was identified as type 2 in all cases. Cytomegalovirus was detected in seven subjects.

[Herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus in pregnant Chilean university students]. / Virus del herpes simple y citomegalovirus en universitarias chilenas embarazadas.

Virus isolation tests were performed on a group of 163 students who received prenatal care at the Student Medical and Dental Service at the University of Chile (Santiago) during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy to determine the possible existence of genital herpes infection (isolation from vaginal secretions) or cytomegalovirus infection (isolation from urine). The samples were inoculated on cell cultures and were then studied using immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies. The herpes simplex virus (HSV) was detected in the vaginal secretions of 5 pregnant women, only one of whom had herpes lesions; in all these cases, the virus isolated was HSV type 2. Cytomegalovirus was detected in 7 of the pregnant women.

[Characteristics of herpes genitalis in university women]. / Características del herpes genital en mujeres universitarias.

We analyzed 33 patients with herpes genitalis diagnosed at a student medical outpatient facility. 42% corresponded to a first herpetic infection. The HSV-1 was present in 43% of cases, the HSV-2 in the rest. Recurrence of infection was present in 39.5% of patients, 70% of them due to HSV-2. There was a relatively high rate of asymptomatic couples who were the source of primary herpetic infection.

[Genital herpes infection in Chilean female university students]. / Infección genital herpética en estudiantes universitarias Chilenas.

This article reports on the prevalence of genital herpes infection in a sample of 635 female university students who were seen at the Gynecology Center of the University of Chile Student Medical Service. Viral isolation of genital secretions yielded 18 students (2.8%) with positive results, of whom 28% were asymptomatic shedders. Of the positive cases, 61% were clinically classified as recurrent and 39% as first episodes of genital herpes. Fluorescent monoclonal antibody typing of the isolated strains revealed that 72% were herpes simplex type 2 and 28% were type 1. The results confirm the importance of type 2 virus in genital herpes infections. They also point to asymptomatic shedders as a potential source of infection, and show the importance of a history of genital herpes in the identification of this population.