Introduction:
Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection. It is the most important cause of cervical cancer. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of HPV infection and HPV genotypes in the recordings of patients referred to Dr. Sharifi Medical Laboratory in Isfahan, central Iran.
Materials and Methods
In a retrospective study, the HPV PCR and genotyping results of 5643 patients including 4999 (88.6%) females and 644 (11.4%) males from May 2012 to August 2024 were studied. The available demographics, sex and age, were also recorded and analyzed.
Results
Of 5643 studied patient, 888 (15.7%) were HPV-positive. Genotype 6 was the most prevalent (9.1%), and genotypes 30 and 71 were the least prevalent (0.017%) identified genotypes. Out of 888, 470 (47.1%) and 418 (52.9%) were high-risk and low-risk HPV genotypes, respectively. HPV 16 was the most prevalent among high-risk genotypes followed by HPV 53 and 18. The HPV infection was significantly higher in patients under 20 years old and also in females compared to males.
Conclusion
Based on the results of the present study, the rate of HPV infection in Isfahan is close to that of most other regions in Iran. The prevalence of HPV infection with low- and high-risk genotypes was both higher in women. High-risk genotypes caused the majority of infections. Younger ages were the most at-risk group for the infection.