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Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in cervical scrape samples of married women from Manipur (n= 692) and Sikkim (n= 415) in northeast India was determined and compared with that of women from West Bengal (n= 1112) in eastern India by polymerase chain reaction. HPV prevalence was lower in Manipur (7.4%) than in Sikkim (12.5%), which was closely followed by West Bengal (12.9%). HPV18 was predominant in Manipur (2.03%) and strikingly lower (0.2%) in Sikkim and West Bengal (0.9%), while the reverse was true for HPV16. The proportion of HPV16/18 infections in Manipur (3.3%, 22/672) and Sikkim (3.89%, 14/359) were comparable and significantly lower compared to that in West Bengal (7.8%, 79/1007) among women having normal cervical cytology. Such prevalence was similar among all age groups in Manipur: increased with age for women in Sikkim and dropped with age for those in West Bengal similar to that reported previously. At age < or =30 years, HPV16/18 prevalence in Manipur (3.3%) and Sikkim (2.5%) was comparable but was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in contrast to that in West Bengal (8.8%). Among abnormal cytologic lesions, HPV16/18 infections were significantly higher than in normals (P= 0.000) both in Sikkim (14.3%) and West Bengal (20.9%) and absent in Manipur. Such prevalence was noted among women in Sikkim aged >30 years and equally among those in West Bengal aged < or =30 or >30 years. Thus, women from northeast India, particularly from Manipur, appear less susceptible to HPV16/18 infection and related cervical lesions compared to those from West Bengal, where such proneness was prominently evident at age < or =30 years.

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Muslim women are known to have lower incidences of cervical cancer and/or human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Here we aim to determine any association that may be present between the oncogenic HPV16/18 infections and abnormal cytological lesions along with demographic and other attributes among Indian Muslim women (n = 478) and compare with the neighboring Hindus (n = 534) from a prospective cohort study. Agewise distribution of both subject-groups is similar. HPV16/18 infection is present in 9.6% Muslims and 7.5% Hindu women. Jointly atypical cells of undetermined significance (a typical cells of undetermined significance) and HPV16/18 are present in seven Muslim and two Hindu women. No high squamous intraepithelial lesions or cervical cancer is detected at the baseline. HPV16/18 infections show trends that varied with age, a nonlinear trend among Muslim women. In Hindu women the prevalence is highest at age < or =24 years, which linearly drops with increasing age. Abnormal cytology increases significantly in both religion-groups with increasing age. The data show that these Indian Muslim women are equally susceptible to HPV16/18 infection and for the development of abnormal cytology. There is a paucity in epidemiological data, which justifies the need to screen women of all religions for cervical cancer (that includes oncogenic HPV testing).