Multicenter study on the distribution and prevalence of human papillomavirus types in Hangzhou, Zhejiang from 2017 to 2023

Oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major cause of anogenital cancers in both females and males. Nevertheless, only a limited number of studies have explored the epidemiology of HPV infection across genders within the same population. This retrospective study analyzed 299,089 samples from Hangzhou, China, collected between 2017 and 2023, including 283,556 females and 15,533 males. The overall HPV infection rate was 23.8%, with a prevalence of 22.85% in females and 41.13% in males. Gender differences were observed in the prevalence of high-risk HPV. In females, the most common high-risk HPV type was HPV52 (5.58%), followed by HPV58 (2.84%) and HPV16 (2.64%). In males, HPV52 (5.28%) was also the most prevalent, followed by HPV16 (5.08%) and HPV51 (3.57%). The age-related HPV infection rate shows a bimodal pattern, peaking in individuals under 20 years old and those aged 61-65. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall HPV infection rate declined by approximately 3% across all age groups. This study provides valuable insights into the dynamics of HPV infection in the context of the pandemic and emphasizes the need for HPV vaccination for adolescent males.