Archive | 2021
Detection of Precancerous Cells and Incidence of Human Papillomavirus among Women of Reproductive Age Attending Selected Hospitals in Katsina
Abstract
Infection with oncogenic or high risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) types significantly triggers the development of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the most common female cancer in northern Nigeria, yet the pattern of infection with human papillomavirus, the principal aetiologic agent is unknown; besides, prevalence data that governs research and policy is often inadequate or nonexistent. This study aims to detect precancerous cells and elucidate the incidence of HPV in cervical cancer among women attending selected hospitals in Katsina State. This was a preliminary study conducted in two hospitals in order to establish base-line data on the incidence and risk factors for the infection in Katsina State, Nigeria. The employed study design was Hospital based and cross sectional, involving the use of structured questionnaires to obtain socio-demographic and clinical data. Sixty (60) randomly selected women aged 18 years and above were recruited from gynaecology clinics in General Hospital, Katsina and Turai Umar Yar adua Maternal and Children Hospital (TUYMCH). Relevant sexual and socio-demographic information were obtained from each subject using a questionnaire. Sixty (60) cervical scraping samples were screened for both HPV and squamous intraepithelial llesion (SIL) using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and conventional Papsmear, respectively. Data is presented in tables, and analyzed using the Graphpad Prism statistical software, version 69, at 0.05 level of significance and 95% confidence interval. The incidence rate of HPV infection obtained from ELISA test was 35% [(21/60)] and also 33.2% [(20/60)] with abnormal cytology results. Risk factors of the infection include low literacy levela; living in rural settlements; low parity; early menarche (< 15 years of age); early onset of first sexual intercourse (≤ 16 years of age) and multiple sexual partners with 48%. There was however, no statistically significant association between oral contraceptive usage and acquisition of the infections. The findings from this study have shown that there is a high possibility of detecting the DNA of hrHPV in women that are infected with HPV and those that have cervical dysplasia, which points out the possibility of these women developing cervical cancer. Further studies should be done using molecular screening techniques such as the linear Array, HPV Genotyping, and molecular characterization of HPV.