Determination of Human Papillomavirus prevalence in the female population from Zanjan, Iran

Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of cervical cancers and anogenital warts. Regional studies provide better insights to HPV prevalence and genotype trends in different populations. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done in Zanjan City, Iran from May 2022 to May 2023 for determination of specific high-risk HPV and low-risk types applying PCR in Pap smear samples collected from women aged from 24 to 60 years old. Results: 211 women were enrolled and the total HPV prevalence was 6.63% in this population. HPV16 and HPV11 accounted for 28.50% equally as the most prevalent genotypes in infected cases. Multiple HPV infections were seen 21.40% in whom HPV16 was dominant. There was a significant association between HPV positive status and cellular changes in Pap test and notably, of the cases with multiple HPV infections, HPV16 + 6 and HPV6 + 11 were detected in two cases with AS-CUS whereas HPV16 + 31 + 6 were detected in a case with HSIL. Conclusions: HPV prevalence has been estimated 6.63% with HPV16 and HPV11 dominancy in the present study. However, there is a high prevalence of multiple HPV infections in certain individuals. Therefore, it seems rational to provide an integrated approach, including vaccination, education, and access to preventative healthcare services.