Recent Trends in HPV Infection and Type Distribution in Greece.

Abstract

This study gives an insight into recent trends for Human papillomavirus (HPV)-specific infection and its fluctuation over the years 2011-2016. A total of 2,417 Caucasian women between the age of 18 and 71 years underwent their annual gynaecologic examination at the Outpatient Gynaecological Clinic in the study period. Overall HPV prevalence was 43.9%, and high-risk HPV accounted for 31.3%. HPV16 was the most common high-risk type followed by HPV51 and HPV31. HPV positivity was higher in those with low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) than in women with a normal cytological test. HPV infection was highest in 2011.The prevalence of single infections remained higher than multiple infections over the entire study period. HPV16 prevalence was very high in the first years of the study and HPV18 exhibited highest prevalence in 2011. Younger women exhibited a significant increase in HPV infection from 2014. Overall HPV infection decreased over the study period. These data suggest that HPV vaccination might reduce the frequency of HSILs and cervical cancer and are useful for the development of a national screening programme.