Difference in the Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Subtypes Compared to Previous Knowledge based on Molecular Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique in Women with Normal Pap Smears

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 General Practitioner, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences, Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

10.22038/ijogi.2025.85084.6306

Abstract

Introduction: Given the high prevalence and complications of human papillomavirus (HPV) and the high importance of diagnosing the infection and the type of causative genotype, as well as the factors affecting it, this study was conducted with aim to determine the prevalence of HPV and its relationship with demographic characteristics of women with normal Pap smears.
Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical study, 225 women with normal Pap smears referred to the hospitals affiliated with Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences from 2022 to 2024 were included in the study according to the inclusion criteria. HPV infection and its genotype were determined by Real-Time PCR method and their relationship with demographic characteristics was examined. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 23) and student t, Mann-Whitney, and Chi-square tests. P<0.05 was considered significant.
Results: In total, 63 subjects (28.0%) were infected with HPV, most of whom (n=35, 55.5%) had high-risk types. In the low-risk group, subtype 6 (25%), in the intermediate-risk group, subtypes 53 (24.8%) and 73 (24.8%), and in the high-risk group, subtype 51 (20%) were the most common. There was only a significant association between education level and different HPV types (p=0.037).
Conclusion: The prevalence of HPV types, especially the less known subtypes (51, 53, and 73), in women with healthy Pap smears was significant, and it is necessary to investigate it in different communities, especially in people with lower education level, by PCR method.

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