<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?><article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id>0535-5133</journal-id>
<journal-title><![CDATA[Investigación Clínica]]></journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title><![CDATA[Invest. clín]]></abbrev-journal-title>
<issn>0535-5133</issn>
<publisher>
<publisher-name><![CDATA[Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia]]></publisher-name>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id>S0535-51332009000200007</article-id>
<title-group>
<article-title xml:lang="en"><![CDATA[Prevalence and risk factors of human papillomavirus infection in asymptomatic women in a Venezuelan urban area]]></article-title>
<article-title xml:lang="es"><![CDATA[Prevalencia y factores de riesgo en la infección del virus del papiloma humano en mujeres asintomáticas en un área urbana venezolana]]></article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname><![CDATA[Núñez-Troconis]]></surname>
<given-names><![CDATA[José]]></given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname><![CDATA[Delgado]]></surname>
<given-names><![CDATA[Mariela]]></given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname><![CDATA[González]]></surname>
<given-names><![CDATA[Julia]]></given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname><![CDATA[Mindiola]]></surname>
<given-names><![CDATA[Raimy]]></given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname><![CDATA[Velásquez]]></surname>
<given-names><![CDATA[Jesvy]]></given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname><![CDATA[Conde]]></surname>
<given-names><![CDATA[Betty]]></given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname><![CDATA[Whitby]]></surname>
<given-names><![CDATA[Denise]]></given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname><![CDATA[Munroe]]></surname>
<given-names><![CDATA[David J]]></given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
</contrib-group>
<aff id="A01">
<institution><![CDATA[,University of Zulia Faculty of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology]]></institution>
<addr-line><![CDATA[Maracaibo ]]></addr-line>
<country>Venezuela</country>
</aff>
<aff id="A02">
<institution><![CDATA[,Maracaibo Policlinic  ]]></institution>
<addr-line><![CDATA[Maracaibo ]]></addr-line>
<country>Venezuela</country>
</aff>
<aff id="A03">
<institution><![CDATA[,University of Zulia Faculty of Medicine Regional Laboratory of Virological Reference]]></institution>
<addr-line><![CDATA[Maracaibo ]]></addr-line>
<country>Venezuela</country>
</aff>
<aff id="A04">
<institution><![CDATA[,Core Laboratory Viral Oncology Section (VOS) ]]></institution>
<addr-line><![CDATA[ ]]></addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="A05">
<institution><![CDATA[,National Cancer Institute at Frederick SAIC-Frederick Laboratory of Molecular Technology]]></institution>
<addr-line><![CDATA[ ]]></addr-line>
<country>USA</country>
</aff>
<pub-date pub-type="pub">
<day>00</day>
<month>06</month>
<year>2009</year>
</pub-date>
<pub-date pub-type="epub">
<day>00</day>
<month>06</month>
<year>2009</year>
</pub-date>
<volume>50</volume>
<numero>2</numero>
<fpage>203</fpage>
<lpage>212</lpage>
<copyright-statement/>
<copyright-year/>
<self-uri xlink:href="http://ve.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&amp;pid=S0535-51332009000200007&amp;lng=en&amp;nrm=iso"></self-uri><self-uri xlink:href="http://ve.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&amp;pid=S0535-51332009000200007&amp;lng=en&amp;nrm=iso"></self-uri><self-uri xlink:href="http://ve.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_pdf&amp;pid=S0535-51332009000200007&amp;lng=en&amp;nrm=iso"></self-uri><abstract abstract-type="short" xml:lang="en"><p><![CDATA[The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in asymptomatic women, using the HPV DNA Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) test. Three hundred and two women who attended the Out-Patient Gynecological Clinic of a tertiary level hospital, in a Venezuelan urban area, were selected for the study. A pap smear, a cervical swab for HC2 and gynecological exam were performed to each patient. The HC2 testing showed that 47 samples (15.6%) were positive to HPV. Forty patients (13.2%) were positive to high risk-HPV (HR-HPV) and 11 (3.6%) were positive to low-risk-HPV (LR-HPV). The prevalence of HPV infections was higher for women under 35 years (51.1%; p < 0.02), and decreased to 6.4% for women ³ 65 years old. Women who had not finished high school had a higher prevalence of HPV infection (p < 0.035). Twenty six (42.6%) of 61 pathological Pap smears were positives to HPV infection. A statistically significant difference was found when HPV infection was compared in normal and abnormal Pap smear (HSIL+LSIL; p<0.0001). Twenty four of 56 (43%) women with diagnosis of LSIL, and 2(40%) of 5 with diagnosis of HSIL were positive for HPV infection. A statistically significant difference was found when we compared HPV infection in negative Pap smears and those with LSIL (p<0.001). The present study found that the prevalence of HPV infection in asymptomatic Venezuelan women who attended a tertiary level hospital was 15.6%. HPV infection was more frequent in young adult, and in women with low educational level.]]></p></abstract>
<abstract abstract-type="short" xml:lang="es"><p><![CDATA[El propósito de este estudio fue investigar la prevalencia y factores de riesgo que influencia la presencia de la infección por el virus del papiloma humano (VPH) en pacientes asintomáticas que asistieron a un hospital nivel 3 en un área urbana venezolana. Se estudiaron las pacientes que acudieron a la Consulta de Patología del Cuello Uterino del Hospital Manuel Noriega Trigo. A cada paciente se le realizó una historia clínica, toma de citología cervico-vaginal y una muestra del cérvix para captura de híbridos 2(CH2). Se incluyeron 302 pacientes. La CH2 mostró 47 muestras (15,6%) positivas al VPH. Cuarenta mujeres (13,2%) fueron positivas a VPH de alto riesgo (VPH-AR) y 11 (3,6%) a VPH de bajo riesgo (VPH-BR). La prevalencia de la infección por VPH fue más alta en mujeres £ 35 años (51,1%; p < 0,02) y disminuyó a un 6,4% en mujeres ³ 65 años. Las pacientes que no habían terminado los estudios de bachillerato presentaron un prevalencia más elevada del VPH (p < 0,035). Veinte y seis (42,6%) de 61 CCV patológicas fueron positivas a la infección del VPH. Una diferencia estadísticamente significativa fue encontrada cuando se comparó la presencia del VPH en las CCV normales con las CCV anormales (Lesión Intraepitelial Escamosa de Alto y Bajo Grado-LIE-AG y LIE-BG; p < 0,0001). Veinte y cuatro de 56 (43%) mujeres con diagnostico de LIE-BG, y 2(40%) de 5 con diagnóstico de LIE-AG fueron positivos a la presencia del VPH. Se encontró una diferencia estadísticamente significativa cuando se comparó la presencia de infección por el VPH en CCV normales y CCV con LIE-BG (p < 0,001). El presente estudio encontró una prevalencia de la infección por el VPH en mujeres asintomáticas que asisten a un hospital nivel 3 de 15,6% en área urbana venezolana. Fue más frecuente en mujeres jóvenes y de bajo nivel educacional.]]></p></abstract>
<kwd-group>
<kwd lng="en"><![CDATA[Prevalence]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="en"><![CDATA[Human Papillomavirus]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="en"><![CDATA[hybrid capture 2]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="en"><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="es"><![CDATA[Prevalencia]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="es"><![CDATA[virus del papiloma humano]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="es"><![CDATA[captura de Híbridos 2]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="es"><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></kwd>
</kwd-group>
</article-meta>
</front><body><![CDATA[  <BASEFONT SIZE="3"> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2"> <font size="2" face="Verdana"></font>     <P ALIGN="center"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana"> <B>Prevalence and risk factors of human papillomavirus infection in asymptomatic  women in a Venezuelan urban area.</B></FONT></P> <font size="2" face="Verdana"></font>     <P ALIGN="center"><b><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Jos&#233; N&#250;&#241;ez-Troconis<SUP>1</SUP>, Mariela Delgado</FONT><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="3" FACE="Caslon224 Bk BT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"><SUP>2</SUP>, </FONT> <FONT COLOR="#2b3244" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2">Julia Gonz&#225;lez</FONT><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"><SUP>2</SUP><SUB>,</SUB></FONT><FONT COLOR="#2b3244" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"> </FONT> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Raimy Mindiola<SUP>3</SUP>,  Jesvy Vel&#225;squez<SUP>3</SUP>, Betty Conde<SUP>4</SUP>, Denise Whitby<SUP>4</SUP> and David J. Munroe<SUP>5</SUP>.</FONT></FONT></b></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"><SUP>1 </SUP>Manuel Noriega Trigo Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"><SUP>2 </SUP>Maracaibo Policlinic,  Maracaibo, Venezuela</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"><SUP>3 </SUP>Regional  Laboratory of Virological Reference, Faculty of Medicine, University of  Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela,</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"><SUP>4 </SUP>Viral Oncology Section (VOS) Core Laboratory,</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"><SUP>5 </SUP>Laboratory of Molecular Technology, SAIC-Frederick, Inc., National Cancer  Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA.</FONT></P> </MULTICOL>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Corresponding author: Jos&#233; Nu&#241;ez-Troconis. Apartado 525. C&#243;digo Postal  4001-A, Maracaibo, Venezuela. E-mail: jnunezt@cantv.net; jtnunezt@gmail.com;  <a href="mailto:jtnunezt@hotmail.com">jtnunezt@hotmail.com</a></FONT></P> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>Abstract. </B>The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and  risk factors of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in asymptomatic  women, using the HPV DNA Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) test. Three hundred and  two women who attended the Out-Patient Gynecological Clinic of a tertiary  level hospital, in a Venezuelan urban area, were selected for the study.  A pap smear, a cervical swab for HC2 and gynecological exam were performed  to each patient. The HC2 testing showed that 47 samples (15.6%) were positive  to HPV. Forty patients (13.2%) were positive to high risk-HPV (HR-HPV)  and 11 (3.6%) were positive to low-risk-HPV (LR-HPV). The prevalence of  HPV infections was higher for women under 35 years (51.1%; p &lt; 0.02), and  decreased to 6.4% for women &#179; 65 years old. Women who had not finished  high school had a higher prevalence of HPV infection (p &lt; 0.035). Twenty  six (42.6%) of 61 pathological Pap smears were positives to HPV infection.  A statistically significant difference was found when HPV infection was  compared in normal and abnormal Pap smear (HSIL+LSIL; p&lt;0.0001). Twenty  four of 56 (43%) women with diagnosis of LSIL, and 2(40%) of 5 with diagnosis  of HSIL were positive for HPV infection. A statistically significant difference  was found when we compared HPV infection in negative Pap smears and those  with LSIL (p&lt;0.001). The present study found that the prevalence of HPV  infection in asymptomatic Venezuelan women who attended a tertiary level  hospital was 15.6%. HPV infection was more frequent in young adult, and  in women with low educational level.</FONT></P>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>Key words:&nbsp;</B> Prevalence, Human Papillomavirus, hybrid capture 2, Venezuela.</FONT></P> </MULTICOL> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2"> <font size="2" face="Verdana"></font>     <P ALIGN="center"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>Prevalencia y factores de riesgo en la infecci&#243;n del virus&nbsp; del papiloma  humano en mujeres asintom&#225;ticas en un &#225;rea urbana venezolana. </B> </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>Resumen. </B>El prop&#243;sito de este estudio fue<B> </B>investigar la prevalencia y factores  de riesgo que influencia la presencia de la infecci&#243;n por el virus del  papiloma humano (VPH) en pacientes asintom&#225;ticas que asistieron a un hospital  nivel 3 en un &#225;rea urbana venezolana. Se estudiaron las pacientes que acudieron  a la Consulta de Patolog&#237;a del Cuello Uterino del Hospital Manuel Noriega  Trigo. A cada paciente se le realiz&#243; una historia cl&#237;nica, toma de citolog&#237;a  cervico-vaginal y una muestra del c&#233;rvix para captura de h&#237;bridos 2(CH2).  Se incluyeron 302 pacientes.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"> La CH2 mostr&#243; 47 muestras (15,6%) positivas  al VPH. </FONT><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Cuarenta mujeres (13,2%) fueron positivas a VPH de alto riesgo  (VPH-AR) y 11 (3,6%) a VPH de bajo riesgo (VPH-BR). La prevalencia de la  infecci&#243;n por VPH fue m&#225;s alta en mujeres </FONT><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2">&#163; 35 a&#241;os (51,1%; p &lt; 0,02) y  disminuy&#243; a un 6,4% en mujeres &#179; 65 a&#241;os. Las pacientes que no hab&#237;an terminado  los estudios de bachillerato presentaron un prevalencia m&#225;s elevada del  VPH (p &lt; 0,035). Veinte y seis (42,6%) de 61 CCV patol&#243;gicas fueron positivas  a la infecci&#243;n del VPH. Una diferencia estad&#237;sticamente significativa fue  encontrada cuando se compar&#243; la presencia del VPH en las CCV normales con  las CCV anormales (Lesi&#243;n Intraepitelial Escamosa de Alto y Bajo Grado-LIE-AG  y LIE-BG; p &lt; 0,0001). Veinte y cuatro de 56 (43%) mujeres con diagnostico  de LIE-BG, y 2(40%) de 5 con diagn&#243;stico de LIE-AG fueron positivos a la  presencia del VPH. Se encontr&#243; una diferencia estad&#237;sticamente significativa  cuando se compar&#243; la presencia de infecci&#243;n por el VPH en CCV normales  y CCV con LIE-BG (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0,001). El presente estudio encontr&#243; una prevalencia  de la infecci&#243;n por el VPH en mujeres asintom&#225;ticas que asisten a un  hospital nivel 3 de 15,6% en área urbana venezolana. Fue más frecuente en  mujeres jóvenes y de bajo nivel educacional.</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2"><B>Palabras clave:&nbsp;</B>Prevalencia, virus del papiloma humano, captura de H&#237;bridos 2, Venezuela</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Recibido: 02-07-08. Aceptado: 09-10-2008.</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>INTRODUCTION&nbsp;</B> </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Cervical cancer (CC) is the second most common cancer in women worldwide  (1). Eighty percent of cases are diagnosed in developing countries (2).  In most developing countries, CC is the leading female malignancy and the  leading cause of death by cancer, especially among middle-aged women (3).&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> A number of epidemiological risk factors have been identified as contributing  to the development of cervical carcinoma (4). Infection with human papillomavirus  (HPV) is one of them. HPV infection of the uterine cervix is the most common  viral sexually transmitted disease (5), which is usually acquired around  the time sexual activity begins. HPV infection is more common in young  women and adolescents than older women (6-8) and it frequently resolves  spontaneously (6). Several types of HPV are now recognized as one of the  main causes of cervical cancer and its precursors (9). The prevalence of  genital HPV has steadily increased over the past twenty years and varies  among different countries and even between different populations within  countries (3). Prevalence of HPV infection in African countries such as  Zimbabwe and Mozambique is over 40% (3). Some European countries, Spain,  Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, report prevalence below 10% (3, 10).  Bosch et al. (3) reported 22.5% and 13.3% of HPV infection in USA and Canada,  respectively. In Latin-America, Clifford et al. (10) reported that the  prevalence of HPV was 14.3% in cytologically normal women. In Venezuela,  there are few reports about the prevalence of HPV infection using DNA testing  (11, 12).&nbsp; </FONT></P> </MULTICOL> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> The recognition that HPV infection is necessary for the development of  CC has been important (13). This knowledge has led to the development of  new CC screening strategies which incorporate HPV de-oxyribonucleic acid  (DNA) testing. One of these tests is Hybrid Capture<SUP>&#174;</SUP> 2 HPV DNA (HC2) testing.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and risk factors  of genital HPV infection in asymptomatic women who attended a tertiary  level hospital in a Venezuelan urban area using HPV DNA HC2.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>MATERIALS AND METHODS&nbsp;</B> </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>Study population</B>&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> A total of 302 women who attended the Out-Patient Gynecologic Clinic for  annual Pap smear check-up, were studied during the period of August 2 through  August 19, 2005. Patients with previous hysterectomy and treatment of premalignant  or malignant lesions of the cervix were excluded from the study.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> This study was performed at the Manuel Noriega-Trigo Hospital, which is  a tertiary and urban referral hospital, serving middle and low socio-economic  classes, in the southern part of the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> The study was approved by the ethics committees of the Manuel Noriega Hospital  and Faculty of Medicine, University of Zulia. All participants read and  signed an informed consent agreement before enrolment in the study. Patients  were also informed of the anonymity and confidentiality of the study.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Each patient provided a medical history including obstetric and gynecological  information, and then had a Pap smear, a cervical swab for Hybrid Capture  2 and gynecological examination. Pap smear was taken and processed by the  conventional way.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> The DNA testing, HC2 ( Digene Co., Gaithersburg, MD, USA) was processed  at Viral Oncology Section (VOS) Core Laboratory, National Cancer Institute,  Frederick, MD, USA. Each cervical swab sample was studied for High Risk  probe (HR-HPV types: 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68)  and Low Risk probe (LR-HPV types: 6, 11, 42, 43, 44). Both HC2 probes were  performed in order to know the prevalence of High and Low Risk HPV types.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Two pathologists (MD, JG) studied the Pap smears. The 2001 Bethesda System  (TBS) for reporting cervical cytological diagnosis was used in the cytological  analysis.</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>Statistical analysis</B>&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Mean values and Standard Deviation (SD) of all continuous variables were  calculated. Categorical variables were expressed as percentages of each  group<I>,</I> and the simple frequencies were used for the categorical variables.  To determine statistical relevance of the various parameters of the study  Chi Square test, Fisher Exact test and logistic regression were performed.  A <I>p</I>-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.&nbsp; </FONT></P> </MULTICOL> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>RESULTS&nbsp;</B> </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> The mean age was 39.3&#177;11.2 years old (mean &#177; SD) (range: 17-72). One hundred  twenty seven women (42.1%) were married. One hundred thirty one (43.4%)  were housewives. Two hundred seventy eight (92.1%) had pregnancies with  90.4% (n=273) reporting deliveries. Sexual and reproductive data are shown  in <a href="#tab1">Table I</a>.</FONT></P> </MULTICOL>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B><a name="tab1">TABLE I</a></B></FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE VARIABLES</FONT></P>     <div align="center"> <TABLE id="table1" cellspacing="1" width="500" border="1"> <TR> <TD WIDTH="163" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Variables</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="109" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Mean</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="106" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> SD</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="108" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Range</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="163" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1<SUP>st</SUP> SI*</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="109" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 19</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="106" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 3.8</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="108" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 13-37</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="163" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Partners</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="109" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1.72</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="106" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 0.96&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="108" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1-8</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="163" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No Pregnancies</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="109" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 3.16</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="106" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1.85&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="108" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;1-10</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="163" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No Deliveries</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="109" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 2.9  </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="106" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1.6 &nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="108" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1-9</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </div>     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> *Age of 1<SUP>st</SUP> SI: Sexual Intercourse. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SD: Standard Deviation.</FONT></P> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> The HC2 testing showed that 47 samples (15.6%) were positive for HPV. Forty  patients (13.2%) were positive for High Risk-HPV (HR-HPV) and 11 (3.6%)  were positive for Low-Risk-HPV (LR-HPV). Four cases (1.3%) were positive  for both. <a href="#tab2">Table II</a> shows that the prevalence of HPV infections was higher  for women under 35 years (51.1%; p&lt; 0.027; Odds Ratio, OR: 0.497; 95% Confidence  Interval, CI: 0.265-0.930), and decreased to 6.4% for women &#179; 65 years  old. HR-HPV and LR-HPV prevalence was 47.5% (p=NS) and 72.8% (p&lt;0.018;  OR: 4.453; 95% CI: 1.157-17.141) for women under 35 years, respectively.  HR/LR-HPV infection decreased as women got older.</FONT></P> </MULTICOL>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B><a name="tab2">TABLE II</a></B></FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> PREVALENCE OF HPV INFECTION ACCORDING TO AGE</FONT></P>     <div align="center"> <TABLE id="table2" cellspacing="1" width="580" border="1"> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Age group</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> (yrs)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Women</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186; (%)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Any type HPV</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186; (%)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> HR-HPV</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186; (%)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> LR-HPV</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186; (%)</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 17-24</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 28(9.3)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 10(21.3)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;9(22.5)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 3(27.3)</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 25-34</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;86(28.5)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 14(29.8)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 10(25)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 5(45.5)</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 35-44</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;82(27.2)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 12(25.5)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 11(27.5)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 2(18.2)</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 45-54</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;81(26.8)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;5(10.6)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;5(12.5)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 0</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 55&gt;</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;25(8.27)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;6(12.8)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;5(12.5)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1(9.1)</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Total</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 302(100)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 47(15.6)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 40(13.2)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 11(3.6)</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </div> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Women who were &#163; 30 years old (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.02) and that had not finished high school  had a higher prevalence of HPV infection (p&nbsp;&lt; 0.035). Other risk factors  for having HPV infection are summarized in <a href="#tab3">Table III</a>.  <a href="#tab4">Table IV</a> shows that  higher number of sexual partners was associated with a higher HPV infection  in different age groups. However, there was no statistically significant  difference in the number of sexual partners when the different groups of  age were compared. The average number of sexual partners was 1.57 for women  younger than 30 years of age, 2.01 for women 30 to 39 years, 1.4 for women  older than 40 years (p=NS).</FONT></P> </MULTICOL>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B><a name="tab3">TABLE III</a></B></FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HPV INFECTION</FONT></P>     <div align="center"> <TABLE id="table3" cellspacing="1" width="580" border="1"> <TR> <TD WIDTH="177" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Risk</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="59" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186; of cases</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="62" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> HPV Infected</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;%HPV</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="55" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> p</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="54" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> OR</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="85" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 95%CI</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="177" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Age</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> £30</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &#179;31</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="59" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;80</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 222</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="62" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 19</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 28</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 23.8</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 12.6</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="55" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 0.02</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="54" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 2.076</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="85" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1.055-4.088</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="177" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Civil Status</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Married</FONT></P>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unmarried</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="59" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 127</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 175</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="62" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 14</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 33</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 11.0</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 18.9</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="55" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> NS</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="54" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="85" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="177" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Educational&#170; Level</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&lt;11</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&gt;11</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="59" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 117</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 185</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="62" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 24</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 23</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 20.5</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 12.4</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="55" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 0.035</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="54" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 2.562</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="85" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1.161-5.649</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="177" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Age First Intercourse</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &#163;18</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &#179;19</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="59" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 175</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 127</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="62" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 28</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 19</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 16</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 15</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="55" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> NS</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="54" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="85" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p>     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="177" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> No Partners</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&#179;2</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="59" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 155</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 147</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="62" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 23</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 15</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 14.8</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 10.2</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="55" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> NS</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="54" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="85" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="177" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> No Pregnancies</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&#163;1</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&#179;2</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="59" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;76</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 226</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="62" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 14</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 33</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 18.4</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 14.6</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="55" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> NS</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="54" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="85" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="177" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> No Deliveries</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&#163;1</FONT></P>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&#179;2</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="59" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 273</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;29</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="62" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 40</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;7</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP"> &nbsp;    <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 14.7</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 24.1</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="55" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> NS</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="54" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="85" VALIGN="TOP">     <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <font face="Verdana" size="2">&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </div>     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &#170;Years. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;p: significance. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;OR: Odds Ratio. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;CI: Confidence Interval.&nbsp;</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B><a name="tab4">TABLE IV</a></B></FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> COMPARISON AMONG HPV, AGE AND NUMBER OF PARTNERS</FONT></P>     <div align="center"> <TABLE id="table4" cellspacing="1" width="580" border="1"> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" ROWSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Age(years)</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" ROWSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186; of Partners</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" ROWSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186;</FONT></P> </TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> HPV</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186;&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> %&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &lt;30&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2">&#179;&lt;2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 48&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 32&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 11&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 8&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 22.9&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 25&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 31-39&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2">&#179;2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 29&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 47&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 4&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 7&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 13.7&nbsp; </FONT></P>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 14.8&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2">&#179;40&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2">&#179;2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 78&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 68&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 8&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 9&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 10.3&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 13.2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Total&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2">&#179;2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 155&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 147&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 23&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 15&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="121" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 14.8&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 10.2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </div> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2"> </MULTICOL> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Pap smear findings showed that 241 (79.8%) patients were negative for intraepithelial  lesion or malignancy, 56 (18.5%) patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial  lesion (LSIL), and 5 (1.7%) with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion  (HSIL). The median age of patients with cytological diagnosis of LSIL was  38 years (37.16 &#177; 9.65) (mean &#177; SD). The prevalence of this diagnosis was  higher in women between 35 and 44 (33.9%) years old. The median age of  patients with cytological diagnosis of HSIL was 32 years old (34.4 &#177; 10.6).  Three of 5 (60%) women with a diagnosis of HSIL were between 25 and 38  years.&nbsp; </FONT></P> </MULTICOL> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Twenty six (42.6%) of 61 pathological Pap smears were positive for HPV  infection detected by HC2. Twenty-one patients (8.7%) of 241 with Pap smear  negative for intraepithelial neoplasia or malignancy were positive for  HPV infection. A statistically significant difference was found when HPV  infection was compared between normal and abnormal Pap smear (HSIL + LSIL;  p &lt; 0.0001; OR: 7.782; 95%CI: 3.956- 15.310). Twenty four of 56 (43%) women  with diagnosis of LSIL, and 2(40%) of 5 with a diagnosis of HSIL diagnosis  were positive for HPV infection, respectively, as shown in <a href="#tab5">Table V</a>. A statistically  significant difference was found when we compared the presence of HPV infection  in negative Pap smear and LSIL (p&lt;0.001; OR: 7.857; 95% CI: 3.938- 15.715)  and in normal Pap smear and HSIL was not statistically significant. (p  &lt; 0.07; OR: 0.1; 95% CI: 0.015-0.642).</FONT></P> </MULTICOL>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B><a name="tab5">TABLE V</a></B></FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> PAP SMEAR AND HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <div align="center"> <TABLE id="table5" cellspacing="1" width="580" border="1"> <TR> <TD WIDTH="114" VALIGN="TOP" ROWSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2"> &nbsp;</TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Total Cases&nbsp;</FONT></P> </TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Any Type HPV</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="104" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> HR-HPV</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="89" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> LR-HPV</FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="63" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186;&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> %&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186;&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="53" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> %&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186;&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="51" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> %&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="45" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> N&#186;&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="42" VALIGN="TOP" BGCOLOR="#c3c3c2">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> %&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="114" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> All diagnoses&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="63" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 302&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 100&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 47&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="53" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 15,6&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 40&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="51" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 13,2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="45" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 11&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="42" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 3,6&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="114" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Normall&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="63" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 241*</FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 79,8&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 21&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="53" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;8,7&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 15&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="51" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;6,2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="45" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;6&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="42" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 2,5&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="114" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> LSIL&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="63" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 56&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 18,5&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 24&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="53" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 43,0&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 23&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="51" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 41,1&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="45" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;5&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="42" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 8,9&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD WIDTH="114" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> HSIL&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="63" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 5&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;1,7&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="58" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="53" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 40.0&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="50" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> &nbsp;2&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="51" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 40,0&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="45" VALIGN="TOP">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> <TD WIDTH="42" VALIGN="TOP">     <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> -&nbsp; </FONT></P> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </div>     <P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> LSIL: Low-risk Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion.&nbsp;HSIL: High-risk Squamous  Intraepithelial Lesion * HPV infection/Normal Pap Smear vs. LSIL+HSIL:  p&lt;0.0001(OR: 7.782; 95%CI: 3.956-15.310).</FONT></P> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Women with cytological diagnosis of LSIL, LR-HPV infection were statistically  significant different (p &lt; 0.037; OR: 0.260; 95% CI: 0.077-0.886).</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> HR-HPV infection was statistically significant in patients with Pap smear  diagnosis of LSIL (p&lt;0.0001; OR: 0.095; 95% CI: 0.045-0.201) and with diagnosis  of HSIL (p&lt;0.04; OR: 0.100; 95% CI: 0.15-0.642).</FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>DISCUSSION&nbsp;</B> </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Human papillomavirus is a necessary cause for the development of carcinoma  of the cervix and its precursors (13-15). The prevalence of genital HPV  infection has steadily increased over the past 20 years, which varies among  different countries and even between different populations within countries  (16, 17). We investigated the prevalence of HPV infection in a population  of 302 urban, asymptomatic, sexually active women and its relationship  to a variety of biologic, demographic, and behavioral risk factors.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Among asymptomatic women in the general population, the prevalence of HPV  infection ranges from 2 to 44% (5). The worldwide prevalence of HPV infection  is estimated to be 10.41% (95% CI: 10.2-10.7) (5). The HPV prevalences  estimated by continents are: Africa: 21.12% (95% CI: 20.87-23.43), America:  12.95% (95% CI: 12.41-13.51), Europe: 8.08% (95 CI: 7.77-8.41) and Asia:  7.95% (95% CI: 7.53-8.4) (3, 5, 10). Burchell et al. (5) mentioned that  the number of women who harbor HPV-DNA worldwide is estimated in 291 million,  and around 105 million will have a HPV 16 or 18 infections (16). Clifford  et al. (10) found a worldwide HPV prevalence of 9.2%. Trottier et al. (18)  reported that there are 6.2 million new cases of HPV infection cases each  year in USA, and approximately 20 million Americans are infected with HPV  at any one time.&nbsp; </FONT></P> </MULTICOL> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> This study found that the overall prevalence of HPV infection in asymptomatic  women was 15.6%. This prevalence was similar to the prevalence reported  in several Latin-America countries for different authors (3, 19). Herrero  et al. (19) reported a prevalence of HPV infection of 16% in Costa Rica.  Bosch and de Sanjos&#233; (3) reported that HPV infection prevalence in the  general population in Canada, Mexico and USA was 13.3%, 14.5% and 22.5%,  respectively. In South America countries, such as Argentina and Colombia,  the prevalence was 16.6% and 14.9%, respectively (3). In 2000, Mendoza  et al. (11) found a prevalence of HPV infection of 9.9% in 101 patients  using HC in another Venezuelan city. Scucces et al. (12) found a prevalence  of 51% of HPV infection using PCR in Venezuela in 2001. Theses authors  studied 39 patients.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> The present study found that the HR-HPV infection (13.2%) in asymptomatic  women was more common than the infection produced by LR-HPV (3.6%). Mendoza  et al. (11) reported 7 cases of HR-HPV infection, 2 cases of LR-HPV infection  and 2 cases positive for both types of infection. Scucces et al. (13) found  12.8% of prevalence of HR-HPV infection. Ny&#225;ri et al. (16) reported 16%  of HR-HPV type infection. Herrero et al. (19) found a prevalence of HR-HPV  infection of 7.6% in more than 8,000 women. Clifford et al. (10) reported  HR-HPV and LR-HPV prevalences of 6.1% and 2.5% in 15,613 sexually active  women, respectively. Other studies (20, 21) have also shown HR-HPV prevalences  ranging from 5 to 15%.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> The present study found that women younger than 35 years of age (p &lt; 0.02)  had a higher prevalence of HPV infection. Other authors (16, 19, 20, 22,  23) have reported similar results. Different authors (19, 23, 24) have  found an age-related decline in HPV prevalence. The decreasing prevalence  of HPV infection with increasing age, even after adjustment for sexual  behavior, could happen because the genital HPV infection is cleared by  local cell mediated immunity and protection against a further infection  by the same genotype of HPV (22, 25). Herrero et al. (19) found an increase  of HPV infection to almost 20% for women 65 years old or older. Burchell  et al. (5) reported that the prevalence of HPV infection is highest for  young women, decreases in the middle age groups and increases at age 65.  A two peak pattern is observed in many studies all over the world, with  the exception of Asia, where the age-specific curves decrease smoothly  with increasing age. The reasons for the second peak and its geographic  variation are unclear, but may be influenced by one or more non-mutually  exclusive mechanisms, for example, reactivation of previously undetectable  infections acquired earlier in life could occur due to a gradual loss of  type-specific immunity or to a sudden loss due to hormonal influences during  the post-menopausal years(5, 18, 26). The second peak could also originate  from acquisition of new infections due to sexual contacts with new partners  later in life (5, 18, 26). Because the changes in sexual morals or patterns  over the last several decades have affected some cultural groups more than  others, this explanation cannot be ruled out. Further, other cofactors  that may affect HPV progression or clearance (e.g., smoking, parity, oral  contraceptives) and competing risks (e.g., mortality due to other causes)  could also be involved (5). Trottier et al. reported (18) that the decrease  in risk of HPV infection with increasing age seems to be independent of  changes in sexual behavior, suggesting a role for immune response. No second  peak was observed in this investigation and found that the number of partners  declined with increasing age.&nbsp; </FONT></P> </MULTICOL> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Risk determinants for HPV infection that have been identified in various  cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies include number of sexual  partners (lifetime and recent), age at first intercourse, smoking, long-term  use of oral contraceptive, other STDs (e.g. <I>Chlamydia</I> and herpes simplex  virus), multiparity, vaginal infection, malnutrition, chronic inflammation,  immunosuppressive conditions including HIV infection, and parity(5, 10,  18, 26-28). Results have been inconsistent partly owing to the fact that  different populations have been studied. Furthermore, risk factor profiles  have been found to differ depending on whether HR or LR-HPV types were  considered (29). The present study did not find any correlation between  civil status, number of partners, age of first intercourse, number of pregnancies  and deliveries, and HPV infection. Other authors have found the civil status  (unmarried) and nulliparous woman or few pregnancies as statistically significant  predictor factors of the presence of HPV infection (5, 10). This investigation  found a significant difference according to the educational level of women  (p &gt; 0.035, Table III). Most of the women studied were from low and middle  low socioeconomic level. Low socioeconomic level is usually associated  to low educational level and </FONT> <FONT COLOR="#333333" FACE="Verdana" SIZE="2">promiscuous sexual behavior (30).</FONT><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana">&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> The median age of patients with LSIL and HSIL were 38 and 32 years old  in this study, respectively. Herrero et al. (19) reported a prevalence  of LSIL highest among the youngest patients, with a median age of 29 years  old. The same authors (19) found the median age of 34 years in patients  with HSIL.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> The present study found that the presence of HPV infection in women with  cytological findings of SIL was statistically significant when compared  with patients with normal Pap smears. Different authors (16, 18, 22) reported  similar results. HPV infection was statistically significant when LSIL  was compared with normal Pap smear but not HSIL and normal Pap smear. The  low number of patients with HSIL could explain this result, and this is  a limitation of this investigation. Forty three percent of women with LSIL  Pap smear had HPV infection as observed in Table V. Twenty three of 24  (95.8%) patients with LSIL on Pap smear were positive for HR-HPV types.  Herrero et al. (19) found cancer associated HPV types present in more than  a 50% of LSILs. They (19) reported that LSILs having cancer associated  HPV types are probably the most likely to persist and progress. Clifford  et al. (31) reported that overall HPV positivity in LSIL varied from 29  to 100%.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> Our results indicated that the prevalence of HPV infection in asymptomatic  Venezuelan women was 15.6%, similar to other Latin-American countries.  This study confirmed that HPV infection was more frequent in young adults,  and was found more commonly in women with a low educational level. Also,  HPV infection was statistically significantly associated with SIL, and  more than 40% of the LSIL were positive to HR-HPV.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>ACKNOWLEDGMENTS&nbsp;</B> </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal Funds from  the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, under Contract  N01-C0-12400. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect  the view or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor  does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations,  imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Dr. N&#250;&#241;ez-Troconis is supported  by a scholarship from Fogarty Foundation/NCI/ PAHO.&nbsp; </FONT></P> </MULTICOL> <MULTICOL GUTTER="31" COLS="2">     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> We thank all the member of Social Service and nurses who work at Gynecological  Out-Patient Clinic of Manuel Noriega Trigo Hospital for their assistant  and help. Also, we thank Thomas Parks, Michael Walters and Wendell Miley  for technical assistance with HC2 testing.&nbsp; </FONT></P>     <P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> <B>REFERENCES&nbsp;</B> </FONT></P>     <!-- ref --><P ALIGN="justify"><FONT COLOR="#1f1a17" SIZE="2" FACE="Verdana"> 1. <B>Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P, Parkin DM.</B> GLOBOCAN 2002 cancer incidence.  Mortality and prevalence worldwide. 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