Prevalence of High-Risk Human Papilloma Virus and Identification of Type Using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis and Liquid-Based Cytology

Abstract

INTRODUCTION[|]Cervical cytology samples were analyzed to determine the prevalence of human papilloma virus infection (HPV) and the most frequently observed types. Methods used to assess the presence of HPV were also evaluated.[¤]METHODS[|]A total of 837 female patients who presented at the hospital between June 2016 and March 2017 were retrospectively included in the study. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was used to detect the presence and identify the type of HPV, and a liquid-based cytology technique was also used to evaluate cervical cytology in concurrently obtained samples taken during a gynecological examination.[¤]RESULTS[|]Of 837 cervical cytology samples, squamous cell atypia (SCA) was seen in 208 (24.9%) samples, and was not present in the remaining 629 (75.1%). Analysis of the samples with SCA revealed the presence of SCA of undetermined significance in 142 (17.0%), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion in 53 (6.3%), and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion in 13 (1.6%) samples. HPV-positivity was detected in 344 of the 837 patients (41.1%). The most frequently seen types were HPV 16, 18, 31, and 51. HPV prevalence was greatest in women younger than 30 years of age and those over 50. HPV 16 and multiple strains were most often seen in women under 30. HPV 16 was the most frequently seen single HPV strain, followed by HPV types 51, 31, and 18, respectively. HPV 16 was also most common among samples with multiple strains, followed by types 31, 51, and 18, respectively. HPV-positivity was detected in 132 (63.5%) patients with SCA. Of the 629 who had an SCA-negative result, HPV positivity was determined in 212 (33.7%) cases.[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]The most frequently detected strain of HPV in this study was type 16. HPV prevalence demonstrated a bimodal age distribution. HPV was correlated with SCA; however, HPV-positivity was also observed using RT-PCR in cases without SCA. This indicates the importance of the combination of RT-PCR and cytological examination in the determination of HPV types and prevalence, and in the treatment and follow-up of HPV-positive patients.[¤]

Keywords

• cervical cytology
• human papilloma virus dna; real-time polymerase chain reaction.