Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus infections in Beijing, China between 2016 and 2020

Abstract

Background Certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) induce long-lasting infections that cause cervical cancer. This study evaluated the prevalence of HPV infections and the distribution of their genotypes among clinic patients and healthy women in Beijing, China. Methods Cervical specimens were collected from 12,100 patients and 1176 subjects who underwent physical examinations at Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, between March 2016 and September 2020. HPV genotyping was performed using commercial kits designed to detect 15 high-risk and 2 low-risk HPV genotypes. Results There was a higher overall prevalence of HPV among the clinic patients (21.0%) than among the healthy women (11.9%). The most common HPV genotypes among the patients were: HPV-52 (5.4%), HPV-16 (3.4%), HPV-58 (3.2%), HPV-51 (2.6%), HPV-39 (2.0%), HPV-56 (2.0%), and HPV-66 (2.0%). Among the healthy women: HPV-52 (3.0%), HPV-51 (1.8%), HPV-58 (1.6%), HPV-66 (1.5%), HPV-16 (1.2%), HPV-56 (1.2%), and HPV-18 (1.1%). Multiple HPVs were detected in 29.1% of the gynecological outpatients and in 23.6% of the women receiving physical examinations. The most common pairs of HPV types detected were HPV-52 and HPV-16 in the clinic patients, and HPV-52 and HPV-56 in the healthy women. Age-specific HPV positivity and peak prevalence were observed among the individuals in both groups for women aged less than 25 years and those between 61 and 65 years of age. Conclusions Our results provide current estimates of HPV prevalence and genotypes in the Beijing region. The epidemiological characteristics observed also provide a reference for the development of cervical cancer screening strategies and selection of HPV vaccine antigen targets for this region. A comparison of these HPV prevalence data with those from other regions suggests that regional vaccines may be an important direction for future research.

Analytical evaluation of the automated genotyping system (GenPlex) compared to a traditional real‐time PCR assay for the detection of high‐risk human papillomaviruses

“…Among the positive samples, 77.3% (1013/1310) were single‐type HPV, while the remaining 22.7% (297/1310) consisted of mixed infections with more than two types of HPV. The most commonly identified types were high‐risk HPV 52 (302 cases), 58 (245 cases), and 16 (202 cases), consistent with previous reports 18,20 . Conversely, high‐risk HPV 35 (48 cases), 82 (25 cases), and 45 (17 cases) were relatively rare.…”

“…To recognize a dozen of HPV types, at least four reactions were needed for one sample, which would increase the workload and cost. 19,20,22 In contrast, the GenPlex ® system employs microarray-based reverse hybridization technology, requiring only one PCR to recognize HPV types through probes distributed on specific locations on the chip. This allows the system to easily detect up to 24 types of HPV with lower workload and cost.…”

The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the prevalence and genotype distribution of HPV infection in Beijing, China

“…43,44 In the current investigation, the aggregate HPV infection rate among outpatients admitted at PUMCH during the prepandemic period was found to be 33.54%. This rate surpasses the HPV prevalence of 21%−22.7% reported among clinic-based patients in Beijing, 16,41,45 yet aligns with the findings of a prior study conducted by our research team. 46 The elevated incidence of HPV infection at PUMCH may be attributed to the diverse geographic origins of patients and the severity of their symptoms, as PUMCH serves as a leading research center for rare and complex diseases in China.…”

“…The prevalence and distribution of HPV in China are influenced by geographical variations and population. Based on data from the general population, the overall prevalence of HPV ranges from 6.2% to 22.41%, 40–42 with a higher prevalence observed among clinic‐based patients than in general population, ranging from 17.92% to 50.64% 43,44 . In the current investigation, the aggregate HPV infection rate among outpatients admitted at PUMCH during the prepandemic period was found to be 33.54%.…”

Novel equid papillomavirus from domestic donkey

“…PVs are present in a wide genetic variety in humans and increasing numbers of PVs have been isolated and characterised in a variety of other animal species, where they have been linked to a variety of medical conditions 26 . Notably, PVs have been reported to cause cervical cancer in humans, 27,28 and various diseases in equids, including equine aural plague 29 and equine sarcoid 30 . They also induce teat papillomatosis in dairy cows, 31 and cause cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas in dogs and cats 32 .…”