Human Papillomavirus Type-Specific Prevalence in the Cervical Cancer Screening Population of Czech Women

Abstract

BackgroundInfection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV)types has been recognized as a causal factor for the development of cervical cancer and a number of other malignancies. Today, vaccines against HPV, highly effective in the prevention of persistent infection and precancerous lesions, are available for the routine clinical practice.ObjectivesThe data on the prevalence and type-specific HPV distribution in the population of each country are crucial for the surveillance of HPV type-specific prevalence at the onset of vaccination against HPV.MethodsWomen attending a preventive gynecological examination who had no history of abnormal cytological finding and/or surgery for cervical lesions were enrolled. All samples were tested for the presence of HPV by High-Risk Hybrid Capture 2 (HR HC2) and by a modified PCR-reverse line blot assay with broad spectrum primers (BS-RLB).ResultsCervical smears of 1393 women were analyzed. In 6.5% of women, atypical cytological findings were detected. Altogether, 28.3% (394/1393) of women were positive for any HPV type by BS-RLB, 18.2% (254/1393) by HR HC2, and 22.3% (310/1393) by BS-RLB for HR HPV types. In women with atypical findings the prevalence for HR and any HPV types were significantly higher than in women with normal cytological findings. Overall, 36 different HPV types were detected, with HPV 16 being the most prevalent (4.8%). HPV positivity decreased with age; the highest prevalence was 31.5% in the age group 21-25 years.ConclusionsOur study subjects represent the real screening population. HPV prevalence in this population in the Czech Republic is higher than in other countries of Eastern Europe. Also the spectrum of the most prevalent HPV types differs from those reported by others but HPV 16 is, concordantly, the most prevalent type. Country-specific HPV type-specific prevalences provide baseline information which will enable to measure the impact of HPV vaccination in the future.

The prevalence of HPV infections in HPV‐vaccinated women from the general population

“…Of the Czech women 14–79 years of age, regularly screened to prevent cervical cancer, with normal cytology, about one quarter were HPV DNA positive, 7% were infected with HPV 16/18, with the highest HPV DNA and HPV 16/18 DNA positivity rates of 41% and 12%, respectively, being found in the age group 21–25 years . The higher prevalence rates in the cohort of sexually active girls/women in the present study might be a consequence of the lower mean age, that is, 23.4 years vs 33.5 years reported in a previous study . The prevalence of HPV infection in the most frequently infected group of 20–26‐year‐old women in both studies was comparable.…”

“…Furthermore, 25% of vulvar squamous cell carcinomas, 82% of anal squamous cell carcinomas and 94% of HPVpositive tonsillar tumours were HPV 16/18 positive in the Czech population (31). Of the Czech women 14-79 years of age, regularly screened to prevent (32). The higher prevalence rates in the cohort of sexually active girls/women in the present study might be a consequence of the lower mean age, that is, 23.4 years vs 33.5 years reported in a previous study (32).…”

Population-Based Cervical Screening Outcomes in Turkey over a Period of Approximately Nine and a Half Years with Emphasis on Results for Women Aged 30-34

“…A German virologist, Harald zur Hausen, first demonstrated the relationship between the genital infections and cervical cancer in the early 1980s. Now, it is known that the low-risk HPV types trigger the benign lesions, but the high-risk ones have been established as the etiological agents of cervical cancer (Zur Hausen 1988;Baseman and Koutsky 2005;Li et al, 2011;Tachezy et al, 2013). Specially, the five types of HPV were notified as the most prevalent regardless of the geographical distribution: HPV 16, 18, 52, 31, and 58 (Kahn, 2009;Bruni et al, 2010).…”

Concordance of HPV‐DNA in cervical dysplasia or genital warts in women and their monogamous long‐term male partners

“…The sequences of all the probes, except those redesigned according to Schmitt (HPV type 16, 39, 59, and 82 and universal probes U1 and U2), have been described elsewhere. 15 All the probes were covalently linked with the 5′-terminal amino group to an activated negatively charged Biodyne C membrane and hybridized with the biotinylated PCR product. After washing, the membrane was incubated for 60 min at 42°C with a peroxidase-labelled streptavidin conjugate.…”