Prevalence and genotype distribution of cervical HPV infection among women in Tehran: a cross-sectional molecular study

Background Persistent infection with carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types is the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV genotype surveillance provides important epidemiological information for cervical cancer prevention.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 among 220 women attending hospitals and gynecology outpatient clinics in Tehran. Cervical samples collected in liquid-based cytology (LBC) medium were tested for HPV genotypes using multiplex real-time PCR. Cytology results were available for 134 participants.Results HPV DNA was detected in 52/220 women (23.6%). The most frequently detected genotypes among HPV-positive women were HPV66 (11/52, 21.2%), HPV16 (9/52, 17.3%), and HPV68 (7/52, 13.5%). Among participants with available cytology, HPV positivity was detected in 28/107 (26.2%) women with normal cytology and 4/27 (14.8%) with abnormal cytology, with no significant difference. Marital status was associated with HPV positivity in univariable analysis.Conclusion This study provides descriptive data on HPV prevalence and genotype distribution in a clinically selected population in Tehran. Further population-based studies with systematic cytological and histopathological follow-up are needed to better define HPV-related cervical cancer prevention strategies in Iran.