ABNORMAL CERVICAL SMEARS IN THE MILITARY RECRUIT POPULATION

Human papillomavirus is a common genital tract infection believed to b e a causative agent of uterine cervical dysplasia, In a minority of ca ses, dysplasia progresses to squamous cell carcinoma, We reviewed the cervical smear reports for all female recruits who reported for traini ng at Navy Recruit Training Center, Orlando, in calendar year 1993, Du ring this period, 8,029 female recruits reported for training. We foun d that 24 recruits (0.30%) had a finding of high-grade squamous intrae pithelial lesion (HSIL); 203 (2.5%) had a finding of low-grade squamou s intraepithelial lesion (LSIL); 377 (4.7%) had abnormalities other th an HSIL or LSIL; and 7,425 (92%) had no abnormalities, These prevalenc e rates are lower than those reported for other populations.