Human papillomavirus: footprints in the population of western India

Systematic Literature Review on the Burden of Human Papillomavirus Infection and Related Diseases in India

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related diseases pose public health concerns for both genders, yet their understanding remains limited in India. This review outlines HPV incidence and prevalence, genotype distribution, and attribution rates across different HPV-related disease types. A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify observational studies on individuals aged 15 years and older, and a total of 3702 publications were identified. A total of 139 studies were included in this review, involving 607,425 subjects aged 15.8-82.2 years, with a gender distribution of 38.13% males and 61.86% females. The prevalence of HPV infection in the anogenital area among healthy males and females was 41.07% and between 0.4% and 41.8%, respectively. Among individuals with HPV-related diseases, HPV infection prevalence was 26.1%-100% in unhealthy cervixes and cervical lesions, 3.1%-41% in anal lesions, 71.4% in vulva and vaginal lesions, and 0%-92.3% in head and neck cancer. The review highlights the variability in HPV prevalence across genders and age groups in India, likely due to population heterogeneity and testing differences. This study highlights the need for rigorous and uniform studies in India on the HPV disease burden and the importance of gathering evidence with a special focus on males.

Prevalence of human papilloma virus among cervical cancer patients in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer, predominantly caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), is a major health challenge in India, with high morbidity and mortality rates. Given India's vast geographic and socio-economic diversity, understanding regional variations in HPV prevalence is crucial for developing targeted and effective public health interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to elucidate the prevalence of HPV among cervical cancer patients in India.

METHODS

A literature search was executed across PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science up to December 07, 2023. Observational studies reporting HPV prevalence among cervical cancer patients in India are included. A Modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used for quality assessment. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to determine pooled HPV prevalence, and heterogeneity was evaluated using the I² statistic. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess result stability and investigate heterogeneity sources. All statistical analyses were performed using R software version 4.3.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis included 17 studies with a total of 2529 cervical cancer cases, of which 1977 were HPV-positive. The pooled HPV prevalence was 85% (95% CI: 71-92%), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 94%). Subgroup analysis by geographic zones showed notable differences: South (88%, 95% CI: 76-95%), North (73%, 95% CI: 1-100%), East (99%, 95% CI: 1-100%), Central (71%, 95% CI: 54-84%), and West (77%, 95% CI: 0-100%). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated the consistency of the results, and a reanalysis, excluding influential studies, yielded a prevalence of 82% (95% CI: 67-91%).

CONCLUSION

Our analysis reveals a high prevalence of HPV in cervical cancer patients in India, with significant regional variations. The observed heterogeneity highlights the complexity of HPV epidemiology in India and necessitates further research to explore underlying causes and regional characteristics. Future studies should aim to expand geographic representation and deepen understanding of the factors contributing to the variability in HPV prevalence.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus types in head and neck cancer sub-sites in the Indian population

Although a subset of head and neck cancers (HNC) has been associated worldwide with mucosal high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), information on the prevalence of HPV-positive HNC in India is limited. In this study, we examined the prevalence of 21 subtypes of HPV in sub-sites of HNC (n = 175) in the western region of India. Type-specific multiplex genotyping assay was conducted at the Centre for Cancer Epidemiology, Tata Memorial Centre, to determine the prevalence of HPV subtypes. The HPV prevalence was observed to be 28.43%, 41.67%, 38.89% and 15.79% in the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx tumour tissues, respectively. The HPV 16 genotype was most common in all HNC tumour tissues (30.29%), followed by HPV 58 (0.57%).