Human papillomavirus genotypes among females in Mexico: a study from the Mexican institute for social security

Identification of Genetic Variants of Human Papillomavirus in a Group of Mexican HIV/AIDS Patients and Their Possible Association with Cervical Cancer

Infections caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) cause thousands of deaths worldwide each year. So far, there has been no consensus on whether there is a direct relationship between the incidence of neoplasms and the immunosuppression caused by HIV that could help understand if coinfection increases the likelihood of cervical cancer. The objective of the study was to identify the presence of genetic variants of HPV in a group of HIV-positive women and their possible association with cervical cancer. Cervical samples were taken from HIV-positive patients for cytological analysis to identify the HPV genotype by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. The most prevalent L1 capsid protein mutations in the HPV genotype were analyzed in silico. Various types of HPV were identified, both high-risk (HR) and low-risk (LR). The most prevalent genotype was HPV51. Analysis of the L1 gene sequences of HPV51 isolates showed nucleotide variations. Of the samples analyzed in Puebla, Mexico, HPV51 had the highest incidence (17.5%, 7/40). Different mutations, which could be used as population markers, were detected in this area, and they have not been reported in the L1 databases for HPV51 in Mexico. Genotypes 6, 14, 86, 87, 89, and 91, not detected or reported in samples from patients with HPV in Mexico, were also identified. Data from the population analyzed suggest no direct relationship between HIV immunosuppression and cervical cancer, regardless of the high- or low-risk HPV genotype. Furthermore, it is possible to develop regional population markers for the detection of HPV based on the mutations that occur in the sequence of nucleotides analyzed.

Prevalence and Distribution of Human Papillomavirus Genotypes (1997-2019) and Their Association With Cervical Cancer and Precursor Lesions in Women From Southern Mexico

Background

Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth most common malignancy of the female genital tract. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of precancerous lesions and CC cases worldwide

Objective

We assessed the prevalence and distribution of HPV types and their association with precancerous lesions and CC.

Methods

HPV genotypes were detected by 3 methods depending on the year of in which the sample was analyzed: MY09/11 RFLPs (1997 to 2010), GP5+/6+ primer systems (2005 to 2010) and INNO-LiPA HPV Genotyping Extra (2010 to 2019) in cervical samples (No-IL: 4445; LSIL: 2464; HSILs: 151 and CC: 253) from women from southern Mexico.

Results

The overall HPV prevalence was 54.17%, and hpv-16 was the most common genotype. In single infection, the high-risk HPV genotypes (group 1) were associated with squamous intraepitelial lesions (LSIL: HPV–39 (OR = 10.58, 95% CI 4.09–27.36, P < .001); HSIL: HPV-31 (OR = 14.76, 95% CI 6.56–33.20, P < .001); and CC: HPV-16 (OR = 25.01, 95% CI 18.83–33.21, P < .001). In multiple infections, the HPV genotypes (HPV-16 and HPV-18) were also associated with a high risk of lesions [LSIL: HPV-18 (OR = 3.45; 95% CI 1.36–8.91; P = .009); HSIL: HPV-18 (OR = 5.12; 95% CI 1.21–21.68; P = .026); and CC: HPV-16 (OR = 3.03; 95% CI 1.72–5.32; P < .001)] compared to single infection. In the analysis adjusted for age, giving birth, and cigarette smoking, a significant increase in the risk of LSIL, HSIL, and CC was maintained.

Conclusions

This study provides current data on the prevalence and distribution of HPV genotypes in women from southern Mexico, which could serve as a valuable reference to guide nationwide CC screening programs and provide scientific evidence that could be useful for vaccine development efforts. Likewise, it was identified that infection with carcinogenic HPV genotypes is an independent risk factor for LSIL, HSIL, and CC.

Prevalence characteristics of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among women receiving physical examinations in the Shangcheng District, Hangzhou city, China

This paper aimed to investigate the characteristics of female HPV infection in the Shangcheng District, Hangzhou city, China. The retrospective study was designed to analyze the HPV prevalence rate of 22,382 women receiving physical examinations from 2016 to 2020 in the Shangcheng District of Hangzhou city in China. A commercial kit was designed to detect the HPV genotypes. Trends were examined for age-specific groups (≤ 30 years, 31–44 years, 45–54 years, 55–64 years,  ≥ 65 years). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the correlation of age classification in high risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection. 22.41% (5015/22,382) of samples were HPV positive, 91.28% (4578/5015) of HPV positive women were infected by HR-HPV. The most prevalent HR-HPV genotypes were 16, 52, 18, 58, 56, and 51. The trend of HPV prevalence showed the significant differences in age-specific groups (χ² = 164.70, P < 0.001). Moreover, the areas under ROC curve (AUC) was 0.712 in 55–64 years group which showed a strong contribution of age classification for HR-HPV infection. This study provided baseline data on the prevalence characteristics of HPV infection and the critical age group of HR-HPV prevalence rate was 55–64 y among the samples receiving physical examinations.

High frequency of HPV genotypes 59, 66, 52, 51, 39 and 56 in women from Western Mexico

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus infection is an important factor associated with cervical cancer (CC) development. The prevalence and genotype distribution vary greatly worldwide. Examining local epidemiological data constitutes an important step towards the development of vaccines to prevent CC. In this work, we studied the prevalence of HPV genotypes in women from Western Mexico with the COBAS 4800 and/or Linear Array Genotyping Test (LA).

METHODS

The samples analysed in this study represent a population from Western Mexico, which includes six different states. Our approach was first to test for HPV in cervical samples from women who attended their health clinic for routine gynaecological studies (open-population, n = 3000) by utilizing COBAS 4800. Afterwards, 300 of the HPV-positive samples were randomly selected to be genotyped with LA; finally, we genotyped samples from women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN 1, n = 71) and CC (n = 96) with LA. Sociodemographic data of the diverse groups were also compared.

RESULTS

The overall HPV prevalence among the open-population of women as determined by COBAS 4800 was 12.1% (n = 364/3000). Among the HPV-positive samples, single infections (SI) with HPV16 were detected in 12.4% (n = 45/364), SI with HPV18 were detected in 1.4%, and infection with at least one of the genotypes included in the high-risk HPV pool was detected in 74.5% of the cases. LA analysis of the samples showed that in addition to HPV genotypes 16 and 18, there was a high prevalence of HPV genotypes 59, 66, 52, 51, 39 and 56 in women from Western Mexico. With respect to the sociodemographic data, we found statistically significant differences in the number of pregnancies, the use of hormonal contraceptives and tobacco intake.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that there is a high prevalence of HPV genotypes which are not covered by the vaccines currently available in Mexico; therefore, it is necessary to include HPVs 59, 66, 51, 39 and 56 in the design of future vaccines to reduce the risk of CC development. It is also essential to emphasize that the use of hormonal contraceptives and tobacco smoking are risk factors for CC development in addition to the presence of HPV.

Prevalence and correlation of human papillomavirus genotypes with clinical factors in cervical samples from Mexican women

IMPACT STATEMENT

We are submitting data regarding the prevalence and type distribution of the HPV infection and the risk factors associated with it, which may provide a valuable reference to reinforce screening strategies, and to maintain HPV genotype surveillance in Mexico. We discuss the overall prevalence of HPV infection as detected in normal cytological samples stratified by age, different types of infection, and oncogenic capacity. One of the most important findings was that common HPV genotypes detected in healthy women were the genotype numbers: 6, 31, 16, and 56, likewise, smoking and having a history of more than three sexual partners over their lifetime, represented the main risk factors in this study. Furthermore, we found a low frequency of cytological abnormalities and CIN 1-3 in women with HR-HPV.

High prevalence of human papillomavirus type 66 in low-grade cervical lesions of Mexican women

Our aim was to analyze the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) and its association with risk factors related to cervical lesions. We used 362 cervical samples from a transversal study to detect nineteen types from the high-risk HPV clade by highly sensitive PCR. Unexpectedly, we found a very high prevalence of HPV type 66 (32.8%), particularly in low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. A significant association of HPV66 with previously sexually transmitted disease was observed (p < 0.05). Our results strongly suggest that HPV66 might be indicative of cervical lesions that will not progress to cancer. HPV genotyping by methods that grouped type 66 with other HR-HPV clade types should be interpreted with caution.

Human papillomavirus genotypes and P16INK4A expression in squamous penile carcinoma in Mexican patients

Background

Approximately 50% of cases of penile carcinoma (PeCa), a rare neoplasm worldwide, are associated with human papillomavirus (HPV). However, the detection of HPV-DNA is not sufficient to consider it the etiological factor in the development of this type of cancer. Currently, the overexpression of P16INK4A is used as a surrogate biomarker of HPV carcinogenesis. Information on PeCa in Mexico is scarce, particularly regarding cases related to HPV and genotype frequency.

Objective

To evaluate the presence of HPV, its genotypes, and the presence of multiple genotypes, and the expression of P16INK4A, as well as its clinical and histopathological parameters.

Methods

For HPV-DNA detection and P16INK4A expression, we used the INNO-LiPA® test and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results

Sixty cases of PeCa were evaluated, of which 75% were HPV-non-related histological variants. We found that 58.9% (33/56) of PeCa cases were HPV-DNA positive, while 30.9% of the cases evaluated (17/55) were positive for P16INK4A. HPV16 was the main genotype in 42.9% of the cases, followed by HPV52 in 7.1% and HPV18 in 5.4%. Within the HPV-positive cases, 27.3% had multiple genotypes. All HPV-positive patients under the age of 45 years were positive only for HPV16.

Conclusions

HPV16 was the most commonly detected genotype in PeCa. HPV 31, 35 and 39 were infrequent; however, they were related to a single infection and P16INK4A overexpression; thus, they seem to be relevant in PeCa carcinogenesis. Our results suggest that P16INK4A overexpression could be useful for the classification of HPV-related PeCa. The role of multiple HPV genotypes in the development and prognosis of PeCa is still not completely understood. Thus, it is necessary to define criteria to establish reliable ways to classify HPV-related PeCa that could lead to optimal therapeutic approaches.

Mutational landscape and intra-host diversity of human papillomavirus type 16 long control region and E6 variants in cervical samples

Human papillomavirus genotype 16 (HPV16) is the most frequent high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) identified in cervical precursor lesions and cervical cancer (CC) worldwide. The oncogenic potential of HPV16 is partly dependent on the lineage involved in the infection and the presence of clinically relevant mutations. In this report, we present the distribution of HR-HPV and the mutational profile and intra-host variability of HPV16 lineages, based on analysis of the long control region (LCR) and the E6 gene in samples with normal cytology (n = 39), squamous intraepithelial lesions (n = 25), and CC (n = 39). HR-HPV genotyping was performed using multiplex real-time PCR. HPV16 lineage assignments and mutation frequencies were determined by conventional PCR and Sanger DNA sequencing, and intra-patient viral populations were analyzed using next-generation sequencing (NGS). The most frequent HR-HPV type was HPV16, followed by HPV31 and HPV18. The frequency of HPV16 sublineages was A1/A2 > D2 > D3 and B1. Moreover, the most frequent mutations, both in samples from this study and in the available sequences from Mexican isolates in the GenBank database were LCR-G7518A, which is involved in carcinogenesis, and E6-T350G (producing L83V), associated with persistence of infection. Otherwise, deep sequencing revealed high conservation of viral lineages and mutations, independently of the stages studied. In conclusion, the high frequency and stability of these molecular markers, as well as the circulating viral lineages, could be related to the incidence of CC associated with HPV16. Hence, they deserve a broader analysis to determine the risk of specific populations for progression of the disease.

The burden of 14 hr-HPV genotypes in women attending routine cervical cancer screening in 20 states of Mexico: a cross-sectional study

In Mexico, HPV vaccines available immunize against genotypes 16/18 and 16/18/6/11; however, there is limited surveillance about carcinogenic subtypes in different states of the country that allow evaluating the effectiveness of vaccination and cervical cancer screening programs. Here, we report the regional and age-specific prevalence of 14 hr-HPV genotypes as well as their prevalence in abnormal cytology (from ASCUS to cervical cancer) among Mexican women which were undergoing from cervical cancer screening in the Salud Digna clinics in 20 states of the country. This study includes women with social security from the majority of public health institutions (IMSS, ISSSTE, SEMAR, and PEMEX), and women without social security. For cervical cancer screening, we used the SurePath liquid-based cytology and the BD Onclarity HPV Assay. From December 1, 2016, to August 2, 2018, the hr-HPV prevalence among 60,135 women was 24.78%, the most prevalent types were HPV 16 (4.13%), HPV 31 (4.12%) and HPV 51 (3.39%), while HPV 18 (1.70%) was less prevalent among infected women. Interestingly, the genotypes not covered by current vaccines in Mexico were commonly found in precancerous lesions, evidencing their carcinogenic potential, so it is necessary to increase their surveillance and inclusion in cervical cancer screening triage.

Unusual prevalence of high-risk genotypes of human papillomavirus in a group of women with neoplastic lesions and cervical cancer from Central Mexico

Human papillomavirus has been identified as a main etiological agent in the development of cervical cancer. HPV 16 and 18 have been reported the most widely prevalent genotypes worldwide. We conducted a study analyzing the prevalence of high and low risk human papillomavirus viral types in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes and neighboring cities in the states of Jalisco and Zacatecas in central Mexico. Specific viral genotype was determined by a PCR and hybridization-based detection test. The presence of 37 high- and low-risk HPV genotypes was evaluated in 883 female participants. Of these, 350 presented low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LGSIL), 176 presented high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HGSIL), 107 suffered from cervical cancer and 250 women with negative cytological report for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM). HPV 51 was the most prevalent genotype, followed by HPV 16: overall prevalence of HPV 51, including single infections and co-infections was 31.2% in women with LGSIL, whereas prevalence of HPV 16 was 25.1%. Among women with HGSIL, HPV 51 prevalence was 47.2% and HPV 16 was 30.1%. Prevalence of HPV 51 in women with cervical cancer was 49.5% and type 16 was 33.6%. Between single and co-infections, most co-infections were not associated with later stages of the disease, except 51/16 and some others. HPV 51 showed a significant correlation with the progression of the disease (OR = 10.81 for LGSIL, 19.38 for HGSIL and 22.95 for ICC), and when analyzing all other genotypes, five different groups depending on their correlation with all lesion grades were determined. According to our findings, HPV genotype 51 has a higher prevalence than HPV 16 and 18 in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes and neighboring cities in the states of Jalisco and Zacatecas in Central Mexico.

Association between HPV infection and prostate cancer in a Mexican population

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between prostate cancer (PCa) and Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the Mexican population. We studied 356 paraffin-embedded tissues from unrelated Mexican men with PCa or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), with the latter serving as control. HPV detection was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using universal primers, and viral genotypes were detected using sequencing or multiplex PCR. Light microscopy analyses enabled the identification of koilocytes in samples subsequently analyzed for HPV detection by in situ PCR and for p16-INK4A expression by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that high risk- (HR) HPVs were detected in 37/189 (19.6%) PCa specimens compared to 16/167 (9.6%) of BHP specimens (odds ratio 2.3; 95% CI= 1.2 to 4.3; p=0.01). These data suggest HR-HPV may play a role in PCa. HPV 52 and 58 were the most frequent genotypes (33 and 17%, respectively) detected in the population studied. Koilocytes were detected in all in situ PCR-HPV-positive samples, representing a pathognomonic feature of infection, and we observed the overexpression of p16-INK4A in HPV-positive samples compared to HPV-negative samples, indirectly suggesting the presence of HR-HPV E7 oncoprotein. These results suggest that HPV infection plays an important role in prostate cancer development.

Predicting Human miRNA-like Sequences within Human Papillomavirus Genomes

BACKGROUND

This study presents a prediction of putative miRNA within several Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types by using bioinformatics tools and a strategy based on sequence and structure alignment. Currently, little is known about HPV miRNAs.

METHODS

Computational methods have been widely applied in the identification of novel miRNAs when analyzing genome sequences. Here, ten whole-genome sequences from HPV-6, -11, -16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -45, -52, and -58 were analyzed. Software based on local contiguous structure-sequence features and support vector machine (SVM), as well as additional bioinformatics tools, were utilized for identification and classification of real and pseudo microRNA precursors.

RESULTS

An initial analysis predicted 200 putative pre-miRNAs for all the ten HPV genome variants. To derive a smaller set of pre-miRNAs candidates, stringent validation criteria was conducted by applying <‒10 ΔG value (Gibbs Free Energy). Thus, only pre-miRNAs with total scores above the cut-off points of 90% were considered as putative pre-miRNAs. As a result of this strategy, 19 pre-miRNAs were selected (hpv-pre-miRNAs). These novel pre-miRNAs were located in different clusters within HPV genomes and some of them were positioned at splice regions. Additionally, the 19 identified pre-miRNAs sequences varied between HPV genotypes. Interestingly, the newly identified miRNAs, 297, 27b, 500, 501-5, and 509-3-5p, were closely implicated in carcinogenesis participating in cellular longevity, cell cycle, metastasis, apoptosis evasion, tissue invasion and cellular growth pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel putative miRNAs candidates could be promising biomarkers of HPV infection and furthermore, could be targeted for potential therapeutic interventions in HPV-induced malignancies.

Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Genotypes in Women from Cozumel, Mexico

Background:

Human papillomavirus (HPV) subtypes 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59 and 68 have been implicated in the development of cervical cancer (CC). These 13 high risk HPV types have been shown to be present in up to 99.7% of CC samples. In Mexico, this cancer is the leading cause of death from malignancy among women. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of different HPV genotypes and investigate epidemiological aspects associated with HPV infection in women from Cozumel.

Material and methods:

We performed an epidemiological, prospective and cross sectional study with 1,187 who accepted participation in a campaign of screening for CC, during the period 2014 to 2015. Data on epidemiological and socio-economic variables were obtained. Cervical cells were collected for detection of HPV DNA and typing of HPV-positive samples by Multiplex PCR, using a commercial kit for 16 viral genotypes.

Results:

The overall prevalence of HPV in women from Cozumel was 15.8 % (188/1,187), either single (13.6%) or multiple (2.19 %). The most common HPV types , in descending order of frequency, were 58 (24.5 %), 59 (13.3 %), 39 (12.2 %) and 66 (9.6 %). The most frequent high risk types were HPV-58 and -59 and of low risk HPV types the most common was HPV-6. Number of sexual partners (OR=4.78; 95% CI= 2.73-8.37; P=<0.0001) and age of first coitus (OR=0.51; 95% CI=0.32-0.81; P=<0.0011) were significantly associated with HPV infection.

Conclusions:

Our data indicate that the overall incidence of high risk HPV infection in Cozumel is low as compared to other studies worldwide, with a different profile of subtypes. However, as expected, risky sexual behavior was found associated with positive cases of HPV. These results highlight the need for establish strategies to prevent HPV acquisition and evaluate the impact of a vaccine application in the Cozumel population.

Prevalence of High-Risk Genotypes of Human Papillomavirus: Women Diagnosed with Premalignant and Malignant Pap Smear Tests in Southern Ecuador

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary infectious agent for the development of cervical cancer, although the presence of the virus alone is insufficient for viral development and proliferation; this can be attributed to the increase in potential oncogenic risk, along with other risk factors. In the present investigation, the prevalence of high-risk HPV was determined from samples of premalignant or malignant cervical cytology in women from the southern region of Ecuador. The kit we used was able to detect genotypes 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, and 59. In addition, 64.5% of the analyzed samples were positive for HPV, with genotypes 16 and 18 being the most prevalent (16 was detected in 148 samples and 18 in 108). Genotypes 58 and 51 were the third most frequent simple and multiple infections, respectively. The data are very similar to those obtained worldwide, suggesting that the strategy of sex education, and the use of vaccines as primary prevention agents, could significantly decrease the incidence and mortality rate of cervical cancer in the southern region of Ecuador.

Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus infection among Chilean women from 2012 to 2016

Here, we evaluated the prevalence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in two groups of Chilean women. The first group consisted of 3235 women aged 18-64 years attended in six primary care centers of Santiago. The second group consisted of 456 women 18-85 aged who consulted the Gynaecology Department of the Reference Hospital of Santiago. Samples were collected from October 2012 to February 2016. Cervical swabs were analyzed both HPV genotyping by PCR and Reverse Line Blot, and cervical cytology by Pap testing. Results showed a prevalence of 12.0% HPV positive, 10.3% high-risk (HR) HPV types positive, 3.9% low-risk (LR) HPV types positive, and 1.0% Pap positive in group 1. The most frequent types were 16, 66, and 59, with a prevalence of 3.0%, 1.6%, and 1.5%, respectively. The prevalence were 71.9% HPV positive, 67.3% HR-HPV types positive, 13.6% LR-HPV types positive, and 62.5% Pap positive in group 2. The most frequent types were 16, 31, and 58, with prevalence of 33.6%, 10.5%, and 7.0%, respectively. Among infected women with HPV: 7.6% were infected with HPV16 or HPV18, 3.0% with HPV31, HPV33 or HPV45, and 6.7% with any other HR-HPV. These findings show great difference in HPV prevalence and types between primary care and reference center, and provide useful epidemiological information to assess the impact of HPV vaccination in the future.

Prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus infection among women in Shaanxi province of China: A hospital-based investigation

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of female high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection in Shaanxi province of China. A total of 14 111 women were enrolled for HPV genotyping test, and a cytology, and/or cervix biopsy were performed in partial women. Of these women, the HPV infection rate was 30.21%, and 26.73% were caused by HR-HPV. The most common HR-HPV genotypes were HPV-16, HPV-58, HPV-52, HPV-18, and HPV-31. The prevalence of HR-HPV among women older than 50 years was significantly higher than the other groups (P < 0.05). The main carcinogenic genotypes were HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-58, HPV-52, and HPV-31. HPV-16 and HPV-18 combined caused 80.79% of cervical cancer cases. The infection with multiple HR-HPVs was not a risk factor for cervical lesions. In conclusion, HPV infection was common among women in Shaanxi province. Women older than 50 years were a high-risk group for HR-HPV infection and cervical cancer. HPV-16 and HPV-18 were the main carcinogenic genotypes in this region.

Prevalence and 3-year persistence of human papillomavirus serotypes in asymptomatic patients in Northern Mexico

OBJECTIVE

To investigate clinical outcomes and 3-year persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections among women in Mexico.

METHODS

A prospective study enrolled sexually active women attending primary healthcare clinics in metropolitan Monterrey, Mexico, between June 3 and August 30, 2002. Baseline data were collected and participants underwent HPV screening. Patients with HPV infections were asked to attend a repeat screening appointment after 3 years, when the same screening data were gathered. Descriptive analyses were performed and the prevalence of cervical lesions and viral infections were examined.

RESULTS

In total, 1188 patients who underwent initial HPV screening were included. Cervical lesions were detected in 5 (0.4%) patients and 239 (20.1%) patients had HPV infections; 129 (54.0%) of these patients attended 3-year follow-up. Among the 357 HPV serotypes identified, the most prevalent serotypes were HPV-59, HPV-52, HPV-16, and HPV-56, detected 62 (17.4%), 38 (10.6%), 27 (7.6%), and 18 (5.0%) times, respectively. Of the 129 patients attending 3-year follow-up, 104 (80.6%) were clear from HPV infections, 13 (10.1%) patients had persistent HPV infections, and 12 (9.3%) had HPV infections with different HPV types.

CONCLUSIONS

The HPV prevalence was 20.1% in the present study; the most prevalent infections were HPV-59, HPV-52, HPV-16, and HPV-56. At 3-year follow-up, 25 (19.4%) patients had HPV infections.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus infection among women presenting for cervical cancer screening in Chile, 2014-2015

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in women worldwide. In Chile, cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death among women of reproductive age, causing more than 600 deaths annually. This study was carried out to determine the burden and confirm the predominant human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes among women presenting for cervical cancer screening in public health services in Chile. Women aged 18-64 years residing in the north and central areas covered by six primary care centers of Santiago, Chile, were invited to participate from March 2014 to August 2015. Cervical swabs were examined both HPV genotyping by PCR and Reverse Line Blot, and cervical cytology by Pap testing. A total of 1738 women were included in this study: 11.1 % were HPV positive, 9.7 % were high-risk types positive, 3.2 % were low-risk types positive, 1.4 % were Pap positive and 0.9 % were positive by both tests. The four most predominant genotypes were 16, 66, 51 and 59, with prevalence of 2.8, 1.4, 1.2 and 1.2 %, respectively. Multiple HPV infections were detected among 3.8 % participants. Age-specific prevalence of HPV showed a peak in HPV infection at younger ages (≤30 years), declining to a plateau in middle age. Among women with normal cytology, the 9.4 % were HPV positive, while 58.3 % of women with abnormal cytology were HPV positive. These findings show new epidemiological data confirming HPV 16 and 66 as the most predominant genotypes in Chile. These data are important for design successful strategies for prevention of cervical cancer in Chile.

Distribution of Carcinogenic Human Papillomavirus Genotypes and Association to Cervical Lesions among Women in Fez (Morocco)

OBJECTIVES

To determine the distribution of cervical high-risk human papillomavirus genotypes and their association to cellular abnormalities in women from Fez and its neighborhood.

METHODS

Women attending the Hassan II University Hospital for cervical pap smears were recruited after an informed consent. Interviews and two cervical samples were performed for each woman. Cervical samples were used for cytological analysis and HPV DNA detection. HPV was typed using a method based on multiplex PCR with fluorescently labeled specific primers followed by capillary electrophoresis. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Fez.

RESULTS

The HPV prevalence in the studied population was 43.1% and the most prevalent types were HPV 53 (23 cases); HPV 16 (20 cases); HPV 35 (18 cases); HPV 51 (10 cases) and HPV 56 (7 cases). From the 619 confirmed pap smears, 20% were abnormal. The cytological abnormalities were significantly associated to HPV infection, women age, number of pregnancies and parity (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

More attention should be given to HPV in Morocco because it represents an important public health concern. The distribution of carcinogenic HPV types in the studied population is different from the data in other regions but epidemiological studies in other Moroccan regions are required.