Epidemiological Analysis of HPV Infection in Zhangjiagang, Southern Jiangsu Province of China: A Cross‐Sectional Study

An examination of the fluctuating rates of the human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and the allocation of various genotypes could assist in the implementation of targeted strategies for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer. The present study was aimed at evaluating the prevalence of HPV and genotype distribution among female populations in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, China. A total of 62,036 patients from the Affiliated Zhangjiagang Hospital of Soochow University provided clinical specimens between January 2022 and August 2023, and 12,144 women were infected with HPV, with an overall positive rate of 19.58%. The most prevalent HR-HPV types were HPV52 (4.14%), HPV16 (2.44%), HPV53 (2.37%), HPV58 (2.37%), and HPV56 (1.50%). In the low-risk group, the highest infection rate was HPV81 (1.76%). The prevalence of HPV infection showed a "U"-shaped curve. In addition to the adolescent group, other age groups are mainly single infection. And the gynecology clinic group had much higher rates of HPV positivity compared to the physical examination group (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Our study suggests that HPV screening and vaccination in young women are highly necessary, and 9-valent HPV vaccine is recommended for regular immunization in Zhangjiagang city.