Prevalence and genotype distribution of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) among 14,110 women in Anqing urban area: A population-based cross-sectional survey

Human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly persistent infection with high-risk types, is one of the major etiological factors for cervical cancer, posing significan health risks to women. This study aims to analyze the epidemiology of HPV infection among women in the Anqing region, and provide a valuable reference for the prevention and control strategies of cervical cancer in this region. Between 2022 and 2024, a total of 14,110 women attending the First People's Hospital of Anqing were enrolled in this study. All participants underwent both HPV testing and ThinPrep cytology test (TCT). The overall prevalence of HPV infection in the study population was 18.97%. The predominant pattern of HPV infection identified was single infection, followed by double infection. The top five HPV genotypes detected were HPV 52 (2.78%), HPV 81 (1.55%), HPV 58 (1.42%), HPV 16 (1.20%) and HPV 53 (1.16%). The highest HPV positivity rate was observed in women aged < 20 years (79.17%), followed by those aged 50-59 (84.88%), and then those aged > 59 years (42.53%). Among all HPV-positive women, analysis of TCT results revealed that HPV 52, 53, 16, 58 and 81 were frequently detected in ASC-US, HPV 52, 16 and 58 in ASC-H, HPV 52, 58 and 81 in LSIL, and HPV 16, 58 and 18 were the most common genotypes in HSIL. HPV 52, 81, 58, 16 and 53 are the common genotypes among women in Anqing region. The highest prevalence rates of HPV infection were observed in women aged <20 years and those aged 50-59 years. Based on these findings, the 9-valent HPV vaccine is strongly recommended as a primary prevention strategy for this population.