Human papillomavirus genotypes in unvaccinated women in Albania: A public health perspective

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection, affecting approximately four out of five sexually active individuals at some point in their lives. While papillomaviruses generally cause benign tumours, they can sometimes lead to malignant tumours. This study aimed to identify and quantify the different types of HPV present in Albanian women. A cohort study was conducted with 124 women, aged 19 to 58 years, who presented with abnormal squamous epithelial cells. The HPV QUANT-21 Quantitative real-time PCR kit® was employed to identify and quantify both low-risk HPV types (HPV 6, 11, 44) and high or probable high-risk HPV types (HPV 16, 18, 26, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, 73, 82). Out of 123 samples analysed, 104 were positive for at least one HPV genotype, resulting in an overall infection frequency of 84.6%. Among these positive cases, the most commonly detected types were HPV 6 (a low-risk type) and HPV 31 and HPV 52 (both high-risk types). The age group with the highest number of positive cases was the 29-38 years old group, with 59 women testing positive (47.9%). Single HPV infections were observed in 48.1% of the cases, while multiple infections were noted as follows: double infections in 39.4% of cases, triple infections in 10.15%, quadruple infections in 5.8%, and fivefold infection in 1.9% of cases. There has been a noticeable increase in the incidence of HPV infection among Albanian women over the years. This rise is likely due to increased awareness and routine check-ups leading to more frequent testing and identification of infections. Although our method identifies only 21 types of HPV—fewer than some other methods—it is both quick and accurate, providing valuable insights into HPV prevalence and types.