Human papilloma and other DNA virus infections of the cervix: A population based comparative study among tribal and general population in India

Abstract

Background Despite being preventable, cervical cancer remains a major health concern among women. Persistent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and other viral co-infections may influence cervical dysplasia. We determined and compared the prevalence and risk factors of cervical viral infections among the tribal and general population of southern coastal Karnataka, India. Methods A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1140 and 1100 women from tribal and general population, respectively. Cervical infections with HPV, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Herpes-Simplex Virus (HSV) were examined using polymerase chain reactions (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Results HPV prevalence was higher among tribal women (40.6%) than general population (14.3%) while the prevalence of EBV (55.1%) and CMV (49.4%) were lower among tribal women than general population (74.3% and 77.5%, respectively). HSV infection was observed in tribal women only (1.8%). Among HR-HPV strains, HPV-18 was predominant among tribal population (28.3%) while, HPV-16 was predominant among the general population (9.1%). Infections were associated with age, educational status, unemployment and personal hygiene of tribal women. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that HPV-16 variants of tribal participants were closely related to non-European sublineages indicating greater risk of HPV persistence and carcinogenesis. Conclusion The study provides a comparative estimate for DNA virus infections of the cervix among women from general as well as tribal population in this region and also reveals a different type-specific pattern of viral infection. Further research is required to delineate the role of specific interactions between multiple virus infections and their role in carcinogenesis.

Cervical cytology and associated factors among tribal women of Karnataka, India

“…The present study forms a part of a larger project wherein the baseline prevalence of viral infections of the cervix were explored. The sample size was calculated to be 1102, considering the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to be 16.9%, for a 15% precision at 95% confidence interval and 20% non-response rate [ 11 , 12 ]. A total of 1140 women were recruited into the study.…”

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Towards Cervical Cancer and its Screening Among Women from Tribal Population: a Community-Based Study from Southern India

“…This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2014 to June 2017 among 1140 married women from Koraga, Malekudiya and Marathi Naika tribes of Udupi district, Karnataka, India. As a part of a study which included screening for cancer cervix and detection of cervical DNA virus infections among tribal women in this region, their knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) towards cervical cancer were assessed [ 12 ]. The study team performed a door-to-door survey of the eligible tribal women.…”

Development and evaluation of a digital, community-based intervention to reduce noncommunicable disease risk in a low-resource urban setting in Malaysia: a research protocol

“…They also have the lowest access to preventive and curative care. Within the B40, we will also target additional socially excluded groups, including women, diverse ethnic groups, and people with disabilities, who face further disparities and barriers to NCD prevention and health promotion activities [8,26,27]. We anticipate that this emphasis on the poor and socially excluded groups will address the fundamental inequities associated with NCD risk.…”

“…Digital technologies are providing new tools for the health workforce in facilities and in communities. Mobile apps for CHVs include platforms for communication with community members, decision support tools, and eLearning to digitize CHV training [25][26][27]. eLearning for CHVs increases flexibility and reduces costs, allowing CHVs to complete training from anywhere at the time they find most convenient.…”

“…We reviewed, for example, the Malaysia National Health and Morbidity Surveys and an NCD risk factor surveillance survey for Malaysia to aid in the development of the KAP survey. The digital health needs assessment survey was informed by best practice guidelines from the WHO and other organizations [25,26]. Following the review of these guidelines, we adapted specific questions from existing digital literacy assessments for community health workers to create a first version of the planned survey [34].…”