Abstract
CONTEXT: High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) is the most common viral pathogen responsible for cervical cancers. Determining the rates of HPV positivity, genotypic distribution, and obtaining regional epidemiological data can provide guidance for preventive strategies. AIMS: This study aims to assess HPV positivity rates, age distribution, genotyping in abnormal cytologies, and then obtain regional epidemiological data. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Descriptive study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 3510 women aged ≥18, whose cervical smear samples were examined at the Microbiology Laboratory. HPV detection and genotyping in cervical smear samples were performed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Pap smears were evaluated according to the Bethesda system. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: SPSS 23 (IBM Corp.) software was utilized for the statistical analysis of the data. RESULTS: The positivity rate for hrHPV infection was 10%. The most common genotype was other hrHPV. The rate of multiple hrHPV positive infections was 13.6%. The highest hrHPV positivity was observed in the age group ranging from 18 to 24 age group (28.7%). HPV infections were higher in abnormal cytologies (P < 0.001), with the highest positivity in LSIL (P < 0.001). The risk of having LSIL and HSIL cytology in HPV-positive individuals was 32.59 times higher than that in HPV-negative individuals (OR = 32.59; 95% CI 16.42-64.66). CONCLUSIONS: The hrHPV positivity was 10%, with other hrHPV strain infections being the most detected, followed by HPV 16. Due to the high detection of other hrHPV strain positivity in patients with abnormal cytology, conducting regional studies determining each hrHPV type separately, monitoring the natural course of infection with types other than HPV 16 and HPV 18, and benefiting vaccine studies are considered essential.