Papillomavirus infection in healthy women from St.Petersburg

: The study was aimed to evaluate the features of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in healthy female inhabitants of St. Petersburg. 309 attendants of gynecological clinics were recruited for the screening. All participants were of reproductive age and were lacking the clinical or morphological symptoms of HPV-related diseases. PCR revealed HPV-specific sequences in 90 (29%) women. HPV type distribution was similar to the one in USA and Europe. HPV-positivity did not correlate with age of females, age at sexual debut, or total life-long duration of sexual activity. However, HPV were overrepresented among women reporting excessive number of contraceptive abortions. The data imply that an establishment of large-scale HPV-testing in Russia could be a desirable component of preventive anti-cancer programs.