A Cross-sectional Study of Molecular Identification of Human Papillomavirus in Healthy Women With Normal Cytology in Ahvaz, Iran

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections among women. This virus, which has a global distribution, is one of the most serious factors related to cervical cancer (CC). Despite the importance of the virus, there is not enough information about its prevalence in Iran. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of HPV and its common types in healthy women referred to HPV screening centers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and compare it with cytology results. Methods: In our cross-sectional study, 271 vaginal and cervical swab samples collected from December 2016 to November 2017 and examined in terms of cytology were received from the laboratory. The samples were related to married women aged 16–72 years. The cytological examination was performed on each specimen. Then, the presence of HPV was investigated using PCR. Positive samples were typed by specific primers of genotypes 6, 11, 16, and 18. Results: Out of 271 samples, 50 (18.45%) were positive for HPV by PCR. These positive samples demonstrated normal or inflammatory cytology. Among all samples, 1 (0.3%) and 4 (1.47%) cases were positive for HPV-18 and HPV-6, respectively; however, types 11 and 16 were not detected. Conclusion: Although all samples were negative on the Pap smear, DNA HPV was found in at least 18.45% of the samples. Considering the identification of at least one case of high-risk genotype 18, it is recommended that PCR be used alongside Pap-smear screening, as it enables earlier detection of HPV infections compared to cytology alone, potentially enhancing CC prevention strategies.