Screening and diagnostic testing protocols for HIV and Syphilis infections in health care setting in Qatar: Evaluation and recommendations.

BACKGROUND: HIV and Syphilis are common STIs, which have become a concern and burden on healthcare systems, as many infections go untreated and lead to potentially serious complications. HIV is usually diagnosed with Western blot, PCR, and p24 antigen testing. Whereas, Syphilis is mainly diagnosed through clinical findings and serologic testing. The Medical Commission Department (MC) under MOPH is responsible for screening all newcomers to Qatar, aiming to keep the country free from serious infectious diseases. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of the protocols used in the MC for screening HIV and Syphilis infections. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of samples analyzed by 4th Generation ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo and Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) between January to December 2019. ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo positive samples were confirmed by INNO-LIA™ HIVI/II and RT-PCR. RPR-reactive samples were confirmed by ARCHITECT® Syphilis Treponema pallidium Antibody (Syphilis TPA) assay. RESULTS: For HIV, data were collected from 585,587 individuals, of which 595 (0.1%) were positive by the ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo (Analyzer A). When all initially positive sera were re-tested on newly collected blood samples using different ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo analyzer (analyzer B), 99.8% (594/595) of samples were also positive, suggesting high reproducibility. The positive predictive value (PPV) between ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo and the INNO-LIA™ HIVI/II confirmatory assay was 31.8%. The PPV between ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo and HIV-PCR assay was 26.8%. Retrospective data for Syphilis were collected from a total of 97,298 individuals who visited the MC, of which 198 (0.20%) were initially positive by RPR. The PPV between RPR and Syphilis TPA confirmatory assay was 36.6%. CONCLUSION: Despite the high rate of false positivity using ARCHITECT® HIV Ag/Ab Combo and RPR screening assays, both assays have proven to be highly effective as screening testing methods.

Vitamin D deficiency effects on cardiovascular parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A retrospective, cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), and both are associated with increased cardiovascular risk; therefore, the combination of PCOS and moderate vitamin D deficiency may exacerbate the cardiovascular and metabolic characteristics in women with PCOS. This study sought to address this question. METHODS: In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, demographic and metabolic data from women aged 18-40 years from the Qatar Biobank (QBB) (78 diagnosed with PCOS, 641 controls) was analyzed. RESULTS: Moderate vitamin D deficiency was seen in both normal and PCOS cohorts irrespective of body mass index (BMI) stratification into normal, overweight and obese. Significant differences in free androgen index (FAI) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) (p < 0.05) were seen in PCOS irrespective of BMI, though insulin resistance and increased C-reactive protein (CRP) (p < 0.05) were seen only in obese PCOS subjects; however, there was no correlation (Pearson coefficient) of any these parameters with vitamin D for women with or without PCOS, nor when vitamin D deficiency was compared to vitamin D insufficiency (above and below 20 ng/mL, respectively) between the normal and PCOS groups. CONCLUSION: Moderate vitamin D deficiency did not associate with nor exacerbate insulin resistance, androgen levels, inflammation or cardiovascular risk indices in women with PCOS, suggesting that a prospective study on vitamin D deficiency to confirm non-causality is required.

A diabetes risk score for Qatar utilizing a novel mathematical modeling approach to identify individuals at high risk for diabetes.

We developed a diabetes risk score using a novel analytical approach and tested its diagnostic performance to detect individuals at high risk of diabetes, by applying it to the Qatari population. A representative random sample of 5,000 Qataris selected at different time points was simulated using a diabetes mathematical model. Logistic regression was used to derive the score using age, sex, obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity as predictive variables. Performance diagnostics, validity, and potential yields of a diabetes testing program were evaluated. In 2020, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.79 and sensitivity and specificity were 79.0% and 66.8%, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) were 36.1% and 93.0%, with 42.0% of Qataris being at high diabetes risk. In 2030, projected AUC was 0.78 and sensitivity and specificity were 77.5% and 65.8%. PPV and NPV were 36.8% and 92.0%, with 43.0% of Qataris being at high diabetes risk. In 2050, AUC was 0.76 and sensitivity and specificity were 74.4% and 64.5%. PPV and NPV were 40.4% and 88.7%, with 45.0% of Qataris being at high diabetes risk. This model-based score demonstrated comparable performance to a data-derived score. The derived self-complete risk score provides an effective tool for initial diabetes screening, and for targeted lifestyle counselling and prevention programs.

Characterizing the type 2 diabetes mellitus epidemic in Jordan up to 2050.

We aimed to characterize the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) epidemic and the role of key risk factors in Jordan between 1990-2050, and to forecast the T2DM-related costs. A recently-developed population-level T2DM mathematical model was adapted and applied to Jordan. The model was fitted to six population-based survey data collected between 1990 and 2017. T2DM prevalence was 14.0% in 1990, and projected to be 16.0% in 2020, and 20.6% in 2050. The total predicted number of T2DM cases were 218,326 (12,313 were new cases) in 1990, 702,326 (36,941 were new cases) in 2020, and 1.9 million (79,419 were new cases) in 2050. Out of Jordan's total health expenditure, 19.0% in 1990, 21.1% in 2020, and 25.2% in 2050 was forecasted to be spent on T2DM. The proportion of T2DM incident cases attributed to obesity was 55.6% in 1990, 59.5% in 2020, and 62.6% in 2050. Meanwhile, the combined contribution of smoking and physical inactivity hovered around 5% between 1990 and 2050. Jordan's T2DM epidemic is predicted to grow sizably in the next three decades, driven by population ageing and high and increasing obesity levels. The national strategy to prevent T2DM needs to be strengthened by focusing it on preventive interventions targeting T2DM and key risk factors.

Metabolic comparison of polycystic ovarian syndrome and control women in Middle Eastern and UK Caucasian populations.

To determine if metabolic characteristics differed in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) between a Caucasian and Middle East population. Comparative cross-sectional analysis. Demographic and metabolic data from Middle Eastern women from Qatar Biobank (97 with PCOS, 622 controls) were compared to a Caucasian PCOS biobank in Hull UK (108 with PCOS, 69 controls). In both populations, PCOS women showed a worse cardiovascular risk profile of increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure, increased C-reactive protein (CRP), reduced HDL, insulin resistance as well as increased androgens compared to their respective controls without PCOS. UK women without PCOS had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and increased testosterone results (p < 0.01) compared to Middle Eastern women without PCOS who had higher inflammatory markers (WBC and CRP), HDL and insulin resistance (p < 0.001). UK PCOS women had a higher body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, triglycerides (p < 0.01), whilst Middle Eastern PCOS women showed increased testosterone, free androgen index, HDL and CRP (P < 0.01). There was no difference in insulin or insulin resistance between the two PCOS cohorts. This study highlights ethnic population differences because, whilst cardiovascular risk indices were increased for both PCOS cohorts, this may be for different reasons: BMI, waist and hip measurements, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and triglycerides were higher in the UK cohort whilst testosterone, HDL and CRP were higher in the Middle East population. Insulin resistance did not differ between the two PCOS populations despite differences in BMI.

Increased MicroRNA Levels in Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome but Without Insulin Resistance: A Pilot Prospective Study.

Background: Small noncoding microRNA (miRNA) have regulatory functions in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that differ to those in women without PCOS. However, little is known about miRNA expression in women with PCOS who are not insulin resistant (IR). Methods: Circulating miRNAs were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in 24 non-obese BMI and age matched women with PCOS and 24 control women. A miRNA data set was used to determine miRNA levels. Results: Women with PCOS showed a higher free androgen index (FAI) and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) but IR did not differ. Four miRNAs (miR-1260a, miR-18b-5p, miR-424-5p, and miR let-7b-3p) differed between control and PCOS women that passed the false discovery rate (FDR) out of a total of 177 circulating miRNAs that were detected. MiRNA let-7b-3p correlated with AMH in PCOS (p < 0.05). When the groups were combined, miR-1260a correlated with FAI and let-7b-3p correlated with body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.05). There was no correlation to androgen levels. Ingenuity pathway analysis showed that nine of the top 10 miRNAs reported were associated with inflammatory pathways. Conclusion: When IR did not differ between PCOS and control women, only four miRNA differed significantly suggesting that IR may be a driver for many of the miRNA changes reported. Let-7b-3p was related to AMH in PCOS, and to BMI as a group, whilst miR-1260a correlated with FAI. Androgen levels, however, had no effect upon circulating miRNA profiles. The expressed miRNAs were associated with the inflammatory pathway involving TNF and IL6.

Long non-coding RNA expression in non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome and weight-matched controls.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) do not show protein translation but do have gene regulatory functions in several disease states. Studies have shown that lncRNA differ in overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), increased insulin resistance and hyperandrogenaemia. The objective of this study was to determine the lncRNA in serum in age- and weight-matched non-obese women with and without PCOS. METHODS: In this prospective pilot cohort study, lncRNA were measured in serum in 13 non-obese women with PCOS and 10 control women undergoing IVF. RESULTS: There was no difference between groups in terms of age, body mass index or insulin resistance. Women with PCOS showed a higher free androgen index (FAI; P = 0.03) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration (P = 0.001). A total of 29 lncRNA (P ≤ 0.05) differed between PCOS groups. lncRNA AC095350.1 correlated with age (r = 0.79, P = 0.04), but no correlation was seen between the significantly different lncRNA and FAI or AMH values. Functional pathway assessment using the Ingenuity Pathway Assessment tool showed no relationships for the lncRNA. CONCLUSION: lncRNA in serum differed between non-obese women with PCOS and the control group, and the pattern of expression differed from that reported in obese women with PCOS from the same ethnic population; however, it but did not correlate with androgen or insulin resistance.

microRNA Expression in Women With and Without Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Matched for Body Mass Index.

Background: Despite several authors who have hypothesized that alterations of small noncoding RNAs (miR) are implicated in the etiopathogenesis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), contrasting findings have been reported so far. Discrepancies in body mass index (BMI) levels may account for these differences; therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine whether miR differed in serum samples collected from age- and BMI-matched control and PCOS women. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, miR were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 29 women with anovulatory PCOS women and 29 control women who were in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle, from the local biobank. Results: One hundred seventy-six miR were detected, of which 15 miR passed the false discovery rate (FDR; p < 0.05) that differed between PCOS and control women. There was no association of the top 9 miR (p < 0.02) (miR-486-5p, miR-24-3p, miR-19b-3p, miR-22-3p, miR-19a-3p, miR-339-5p, miR-185-5p, miR-101-3p, miR-let-7i-5p) with BMI, androgen levels, insulin resistance, or antimullerian hormone (AMH) in either PCOS or normal women. Ingenuity pathway assessment showed the pathways were interrelated for abnormalities of the reproductive system. Conclusion: When the confounding influence of weight was accounted for, miR levels differed between anovulatory PCOS women and control women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Interestingly, the differing miR were associated with the pathways of reproductive abnormalities but did not associate with AMH or metabolic parameters.

Effect of gender on childhood maltreatment in the state of Qatar: Retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: International maltreatment studies show a range of results for overall rates of child maltreatment and gender differences. The ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tools (ICAST) were designed to reduce variability in data collection. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of gender on the experiences of discipline and maltreatment in childhood among young people in Qatar, informingpractice and policy development. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A representative sample of Qatari youth aged between 18 and 24 years were identified using a cross sectional random household survey. The total number of subjects was 697 of whom 46.8% were male. METHODS: Participants self-administered the ICAST-R (retrospective), which includes questions about exposure below the age of 18 to potentially abusive physical, psychological and sexual behaviors. Verbal consent was obtained following an introductory explanation and assurance ofconfidentiality. RESULTS: At least one form of physical abuse was reported by 22.1% of participants and was significantly higher among males (28.2%) than females (16.7%) p<0.001). A trend for greater abuse was identified among boys aged over five which become statistically significant between 10 -13 years (p=0.001). For psychological abuse the overall rates were very similar, 16.2% for girls and 15.0% for boys. Only 17 (2.5%) of participants reported sexual abuse, with no statistically significant gender difference. CONCLUSIONS: Physical, psychological and sexual abuse all occur in Qatar. This study demonstrates the importance of identifying the role of gender and age when exploring the extent and nature of maltreatment in a population. It allows for better targeting of preventative action.

Expression of microRNA in follicular fluid in women with and without PCOS.

Several studies have shown the expression of small non-coding microRNA (miRNA) changes in PCOS and their expression in follicular fluid has been described, though the number of studies remains small. In this prospective cohort study, miRNA were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in 29 weight and aged matched anovulatory women with PCOS and 30 women without from follicular fluid taken at the time of oocyte retrieval who were undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF); miRNA levels were determined from a miRNA data set. 176 miRNA were detected, of which 29 differed significantly between normal women and PCOS women. Of these, the top 7 (p < 0.015) were miR-381-3p, miR-199b-5p, miR-93-3p, miR-361-3p, miR-127-3p, miR-382-5p, miR-425-3p. In PCOS, miR-382-5p correlated with age and free androgen index (FAI), miR-199b-5p correlated with anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and miR-93-3p correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP). In normal controls, miR-127-3p, miR-382-5p and miR-425-3p correlated with the fertilisation rate; miR-127-3p correlated with insulin resistance and miR-381-3p correlated with FAI. Ingenuity pathway assessment revealed that 12 of the significantly altered miRNA related to reproductive pathways, 12 miRNA related to the inflammatory disease pathway and 6 were implicated in benign pelvic disease. MiRNAs differed in the follicular fluid between PCOS and normal control women, correlating with age, FAI, inflammation and AMH in PCOS, and with BMI, fertilization rate (3 miRNA), insulin resistance, FAI and inflammation in control women, according to Ingenuity Pathway Analysis.

Alterations in long noncoding RNAs in women with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNA transcripts over 200 nucleotides long that are not translated into protein; however, there is increasing evidence of their regulatory functions. To date, there are few studies measuring lncRNA in control women or women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). OBJECTIVE: To determine lncRNA differences between PCOS and control women. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. PATIENTS: Twenty four anovulatory women with all three diagnostic features of PCOS compared to 24 control women in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle from a PCOS biobank. RESULTS: Women with PCOS were age and weight matched compared to the control women but were significantly insulin resistant and hyperandrogenemic (P < .01). Eight lncRNA (P < .05) were detected that differed between PCOS and control women, but only MIRLET7BHG correlated with body mass index (r = .66, P < .05). No lncRNA correlated with antimullerian hormone (AMH) levels, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) or the free androgen index (FAI). Ingenuity pathway assessment (IPA) did not identify any functional pathways for the lncRNAs. CONCLUSION: LncRNAs differ between anovulatory PCOS and control women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. It is unclear if this is due to inherent differences between PCOS and control women or due to changes in lncRNA that are menstrual cycle dependent. However, their IPA did not identify linked pathways, likely because few functions are as yet assigned to these lncRNAs.

Salivary and serum androgens with anti-Müllerian hormone measurement for the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome.

To determine the predictive value of a raised androgen level with an elevated anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) for the diagnosis or exclusion of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a prospective cross-sectional study of 170 women (105 with PCOS type A and 65 normal) was undertaken. AMH was combined with one of, total serum testosterone (T); calculated free androgen index; salivary testosterone (salT); serum androstenedione (A); salivary androstenedione (salA). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of AMH (>35 pmol/l) alone for PCOS were 55% and 79% respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of AMH (>35 pmol/l) with either an elevated T or raised FAI level for PCOS showed 100% specificity and a 100% positive predictive value. Conversely, diagnostic exclusion of PCOS was shown by an AMH <35 pmol/l with a normal T or FAI salivary testosterone giving 100% specificity and 100% positive predictive value. AMH with an elevated A or elevated salA level gave specificities of 87% and 94%, and positive predictive values 80% and 94%, respectively. Therefore, the combination of an AMH with a cut off of 35 pmol/l combined with a raised T and/or a FAI will confirm PCOS whilst a normal AMH with a normal T and/or FAI will exclude PCOS, thus addressing diagnostic uncertainty.

Prediabetes and diabetes in a cohort of Qatari women screened for polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) but its association with prediabetes and T2DM is unknown in Qatar. A cross sectional analysis of 3,017 Qatari subjects from the Qatar Biobank, identified 749 women aged 18-40 years, 720 of whom were assessed by the National Institute for Health (NIH) Guidelines for PCOS. Prediabetes (HbA1c 5.7-6.4% and/or impaired fasting glucose (IFG): fasting plasma glucose (FPG) 100-125 mg/dL (5.6-6.9 mmol/L)), and T2DM (fasting plasma glucose > 125 mg/dL (≥7 mmol/L), and/or HbA1c ≥ 6.5%) were determined. The prevalence of prediabetes was 10.6% and the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes was found to be 4.0% in the total population. Overall, 12.1% of 720 women had PCOS, of whom FPG and HbA1c were available in 62 women with PCOS: 19.4% had prediabetes and 9.7% had diabetes. An adverse cardiovascular risk profile for IFG women compared to normal women was found. Women with PCOS alone had a similar adverse cardiovascular profile as those with IFG alone and T2DM. Thus, the risk of prediabetes and diabetes is increased in Qatari women with PCOS, with an adverse cardiovascular risk profile similar to that seen in prediabetes and T2DM.

Anti-Müllerian hormone measurement for the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is derived from the small antral follicles, and an elevated level has been suggested to add value to the Rotterdam criteria for the diagnosis of PCOS in cases of diagnostic uncertainty. Therefore, the role of AMH in the classical phenotype of PCOS was defined within a Caucasian population. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. PATIENTS: Sixty Five women without PCOS and 110 women with PCOS fulfilling all 3 diagnostic Rotterdam criteria. MEASUREMENTS: The main outcomes were the utility of serum AMH for the diagnosis of PCOS and its relationship to the metabolic parameters. RESULTS: Anti-Müllerian hormone was increased in PCOS compared to controls (P < .001). Areas under the receiver operator curve showed AMH to be predictive of PCOS (0.76) using a cut-off AMH of 46 pmol/L, which is derived from the 95th percentile of the controls that gave a 41% sensitivity and 86% specificity; an AMH cut-off of 35 pmol/L gave a 55% sensitivity and 79% specificity. Age- and BMI-adjusted multiple logistic regression showed that AMH was more predictive of PCOS independently of either serum testosterone (T) (OR = 4.04; 95% CI 1.42-11.11; P = .007) or free androgen index (FAI) (OR = 3.90; 95% CI 1.40-10.83; P = .009). CONCLUSION: Whilst an elevated AMH has poor sensitivity, it is fourfold more likely to be associated with a diagnosis of PCOS, and supplementary to biochemical parameters will make a positive diagnosis of PCOS in 22% of patients when neither serum testosterone nor FAI is elevated.

The prevalence and metabolic characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome in the Qatari population.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in the Qatari population is unknown and hence the estimated impact on the local population cannot be determined. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and metabolic features of PCOS among Qatari women. DESIGN: Cross sectional analysis. PATIENTS: 3,017 Qatari subjects volunteered to be phenotyped and genotyped for the Qatar Biobank from which all women between the ages of 18-40 years were identified (750). MEASUREMENTS: 720 women had testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) measurements. PCOS was diagnosed according the National Institute of Health (NIH) Guidelines of a raised androgen level (free androgen index >4.5 or a raised total testosterone) and menstrual irregularity after the exclusion of other conditions. RESULTS: All results are reported as mean value of PCOS versus control. 87 of 720 women fulfilled the NIH guidelines (12.1%) for PCOS specifically using a free androgen index greater than 4.5 or a total testosterone greater than 2.7nmol/l and menstrual irregularity. Subjects were heavier with a more metabolic profile of a greater systolic and diastolic blood pressure, higher levels of C reactive protein, insulin (p<0.01) and HbA1c (P<0.02), and decreased HDL levels (p<0.01). Pulse wave velocity as a marker of arterial stiffness was also increased (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: By NIH guidelines the prevalence of PCOS in this Qatari cohort was 12.1% that would likely reflect 20% by Rotterdam criteria, with a markedly more metabolic phenotype than Qatari controls.

Salivary testosterone measurement in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome.

Clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism is one of the diagnostic criteria for PCOS. An evaluation of the role of salivary testosterone (salT) and androstenedione (salA) for the diagnosis of PCOS was undertaken in a cross sectional study involving 65 women without PCOS and 110 women with PCOS fulfilling all 3 diagnostic Rotterdam criteria. Serum and salivary androgen measurements were determined by LC-MS/MS. salT and salA were significantly elevated in PCOS compared to controls (P < 001). No androgen marker was more predictive than another using ROC curves, but multiple logistic regression suggested salT was more predictive than free androgen index (FAI) (p < 0.01). The combination of salT or FAI identified 100% of PCOS women. PCOS women with both biochemical and clinical hyperandrogenism as opposed to clinical hyperandrogenism alone showed a metabolic phenotype (p < 0.05) and insulin resistance (p < 0.001). PCOS patients with an isolated elevated FAI showed increased insulin resistance compared to those with an isolated salT (P < 0.05). salT appeared to be at least as predictive as FAI for the diagnosis of the classical PCOS phenotype, and the combination of salT or FAI identified 100% of PCOS patients. This suggests that salT measurement by LC-MS/MS holds the promise of complementing existing laboratory tests as a means of assessing hyperandrogenemia.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection: Molecular Epidemiology, Genotyping, Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors among Arab Women in Qatar.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections are known to cause cervical cancer worldwide, however, limited information is currently available on prevalence, types distribution and risk factors for HPV infection in the Arab countries. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study exclusively of women of Arabic origin residing in Qatar (n = 406) who were selected from the Women's Hospital at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Health Centers of the Primary Health Care Corporation in Doha, Qatar over the period March 2013 to August 2014. Socio-demographic, behavioral and clinical data were collected. Four hundred and six cervical smears and 292 blood samples were included in the study. HPV typing was done using HPV type-specific primers-based real-time PCR, and Sanger sequencing. HPV-IgG and IgM were quantified using ELISA assays. The prevalence of HPV infection amongst Qatari and non-Qatari Arab women were 9.8% and 6.1%, respectively and 7.6% and 16.7% in women with normal and abnormal cytology, respectively. HPV 81 was the most commonly found genotype in women with normal cytology (34.5%), whereas HPV 81, 16 and 59 in women with abnormal cytology (25.0% each). All the HPV DNA positive women were seronegative and HPV-IgG prevalence was higher in Qatari women than in non-Qatari Arab women. None of the studied factors had any significant association with HPV-DNA positivity or HPV-IgG seropositivity. The overall identified HPV DNA prevalence and HPV seroprevalence among Arab women in Qatar were on the low side compared to global levels.