Type-specific Human Papillomavirus Research Articles

Abstract A112: The seroprevalence of nine human papillomavirus types included in the nonavalent vaccine in unvaccinated women living in Puerto Rico

Abstract Introduction Human papillomavirus (HPV) surveillance is lacking in Puerto Rico (PR). We aim to estimate the seroprevalence of the HPV types included in the nonavalent vaccine (9vHPV) in women and explore associations. Methodology A population-based cross-sectional study of socio-demographic, clinical [including, sexually transmitted infections (STIs)], and behavioral characteristics of sexually active women (16-64 years) was conducted in PR from 2010-2013. Blood samples from 524/566 (92.6%) HPV unvaccinated women were included in this sub- analysis. Antibody responses to 9vHPV types (HPV-6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58) were analyzed using M9ELISA by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A self-collected cervical and anal sample from all 524 women were also tested using L1 consensus primer (MY09/MY11) PCR followed by dot hybridization to detect 40 HPV types. Statistical analyses included Pearson’s chi-square and logistic regression models. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Results The mean age of participants was 42.4 years ± 0.6 standard deviations (SD), 52.5% were married/cohabited, and 9.7% were uninsured. About half (51.3%) had between 3-9 lifetime sexual partners, 15.9% had history of STIs, and 40.3% had a current anogenital HPV infection. Overall, 65.8% were seropositive to at least one of the 9vHPV types (1.0% to all 9vHPV types), 59.9% to any of the seven oncogenic types (HPV-16/18/31/33/45/52/58) and 49.1% to any of the quadrivalent vaccine (4vHPV) types. The seroprevalence for specific HPV types ranged between 10.7%-28.1% [HPV-33 (10.7%), 11 (11.6%), 45 (11.8%), 58 (15.8%), 18 (18.7%), 31 (25.0%), 6 (26.2%), 52 (26.9%), and 16 (28.1%)]. In bivariate analysis, significant associations between 9vHPV types were observed with marital status, age at sexual debut, lifetime sexual partners, anal sex, history of STIs and anogenital HPV infection (p<0.05). In the multivariate model, divorced/separated/widowed women (aOR: 2.2, 95%CI: 1.2-4.3) had higher odds of seropositivity to any of the 9vHPV types than single women. Women with 3-9 (aOR: 2.4, 95%CI, 1.5-3.8) and with >10 (aOR: 3.1, 95%CI, 1.6-5.8) lifetime sexual partners had higher odds of seropositivity than women with 1-2 partners. Women with a history of STIs (aOR: 2.1, 95%CI, 1.1-4.0) and with an anogenital HPV infection (aOR: 1.9, 95%CI, 1.2-2.9) had higher odds of HPV seropositivity than their counterparts. In this model, no differences were observed by age, education, healthcare coverage, age at sexual debut or anal sex. Conclusion Before implementation of the HPV nonavalent vaccine, the seroprevalence of at least one of the 9vHPV types among women in PR was high (65.8%). However, less than 1% of women were seropositive for all nine HPV types, indicating this population would benefit from HPV vaccine implementation. Acknowledgements Study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Grant (Grant #1SC2AI090922-01) of the National Institutes of Health. Citation Format: Angeline Cruz, Jeslie M. Ramos-Cartagena, Gitika Panicker, Elizabeth Unger, Ana P Ortiz. The seroprevalence of nine human papillomavirus types included in the nonavalent vaccine in unvaccinated women living in Puerto Rico [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A112.

The prevalence of multiple or single HPV infection and genotype distribution in healthy Chinese women: A systemic review.

We analyzed the prevalence and genotype distribution of multiple- or single-type cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in a population of women in mainland China. PubMed, MEDLINE, and Chinese databases (CNKI, VIP, and Wan Fang) were searched for studies on HPV prevalence and the examination of this relationship. All analyses were performed using STATA (version 12.0). Data from selected studies were extracted into tables, and all included studies were weighted and summarized. Thirty studies were included. The prevalence of single types (10.4%) and multiple types (4.7%) primarily occurred in healthy Chinese women, in which the dominant single-type infection was HPV16 (1.6%), 52 (1.5%), 58 (1.0%), and 18 (0.5%), and the dominant type of multiple infection was HPV16 (0.7%), 52 (0.7%), 58 (0.6%), and 18 (0.3%). The prevalence in North and South China was 14.3%, in which the prevalence of the single type was 10.41% and 8.27%, and the prevalence of multiple types was 4.00% and 6.52%, respectively. Mainland China exhibits unique type-specific single and multiple HPV infections. Overall single or multiple HPV prevalence varied across regions of China, whereas type-specific HPV differences were relatively small.

Molecular dynamics simulation and purification of chimeric L1/L2 protein from human papillomavirus type 52 expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3)

ABSTRACT The available prophylactic vaccines for human papillomavirus (HPV) in the market are only effective against specific types of HPV, rendering them ineffective for other types of HPV infections. The objective of this research is to investigate the stability of the recombinant protein constructed, namely chimeric L1/L2 protein from HPV type 52, with improved cross-neutralization ability. The 3D model, predicted using Alphafold, Robetta, I-Tasser, and refined with Galaxy Refinement, is validated using Ramachandran plot analysis. The stability is verified through molecular dynamics simulations, considering parameters such as RMSD, RMSF, Rg, and SASA, where stable conditions are observed. The chimeric L1/L2 protein from HPV type 52 is purified using affinity chromatography, and the His-tag is cleaved using SUMO protease to obtain pure chimeric protein with the size of ~ 55 kDa. Western blot analysis confirms binding to anti-L1 HPV type 52 polyclonal antibody. The obtained vaccine candidate can be utilized as an effective prophylactic vaccine against HPV.

A portable thermal ablation device for cervical cancer prevention in a screen-and-treat setting: a randomized, noninferiority trial

Implementing standard-of-care cryotherapy or electrosurgical excision to treat cervical precancers is challenging in resource-limited settings. An affordable technological alternative that is as effective as standard-of-care techniques would greatly improve access to treatment. This randomized controlled trial aims to demonstrate the noninferiority efficacy of a portable, battery-driven thermal ablation (TA) device compared to cryotherapy and electrosurgical excision (large loop excision of transformation zone (LLETZ)) to treat cervical precancer in a screen-and-treat program in Zambia. A total of 3,124 women positive on visual inspection with acetic acid and eligible for ablative therapy were randomized to one of the treatment arms. Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing was performed at baseline and at the follow-up. The primary outcome was treatment success, defined as either type-specific HPV clearance at the follow-up in participants positive for HPV at baseline, or a negative visual inspection with acetic acid test for those who had a negative HPV test at baseline. After a median follow-up of 12 months, treatment success rates were 74.0%, 71.1% and 71.4% for the TA, cryotherapy and LLETZ arms, respectively, thus demonstrating noninferiority (P = 0.83). TA was a safe and well-accepted procedure. Only 3.6% of those randomized to TA reported moderate-to-severe pain, compared to 6.5% and 1.9% for the cryotherapy and LLETZ arms, respectively. Thus, our randomized controlled trial demonstrates the safety and efficacy of TA, which is not inferior to cryotherapy or surgical excision.ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT02956239.

Type-specific human papillomavirus prevalence in women referred for colposcopy in Tehran.

Although several studies have been achieved on the frequency of the HPV types among women with cervical cancer in Iran, HPV-positive samples were in some cases directed to specific-primer genotyping of HPV 16 and 18. Therefore, the other HPV types are underestimated. Several studies have also reported a greater prevalence of HPV 16 in cervical cancer in Iran than in the world. To clarify these subjects, the distribution of HPV types in women referred for colposcopy in Tehran was investigated. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 148 cervical samples from women with normal, atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia I-III, and invasive cervical cancer histopathology were included. HPV was detected by PCR assay and all HPV-positive specimens were subjected to direct nucleotide sequencing. Our results demonstrated that the total prevalence of HPV was 92.5%. The five most common HPV types were HPV 16 (49.3%), 18 (14.8%), 6 (7.4%), 31 (4.1%), and 11 (2.7%). About the histopathological stage, HPV 16 and 18 were dominant in all studied groups. In cervical cancer, HPV 16 and 18 were detected in 60% and 20% of cases, respectively. HPV 16 and 18 were the most common in cervical cancer in Iran.

Exploring the Concordance Between High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Infections in Cervical and Oral Sites Among Females: A Cross-Sectional Study in Punjab, Pakistan.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is widely recognized as a key contributing factor in cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. However, there has been limited research on the prevalence of concurrent HPV infections in various anatomic regions. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and specific types of high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infections in the cervical and oral regions of females in Punjab, Pakistan. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving women seeking care for general gynecologic issues at the gynecologic Outpatient Department of Lady Wallington Hospital in Lahore. After interviews and clinical examinations, we collected whole-saliva samples and high vaginal swabs from each participant. HR-HPV detection and genotyping were performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction at both the anatomic sites. In this study, 170 females, averaging 35.36 ± 8.305 years, participated. HR-HPV infection was more prevalent in the cervix (83/170 [48.8%]) than in the oral cavity (19/170 [11.2%]). Concordant HPV infections occurred in 10/170 participants (5.9%). HPV 16 was the most common genotype in cervical and oral locations, at rates of 21.8% and 5.3%, respectively, among concordant HR-HPV types. Socioeconomic status (P = .013), age at first sexual intercourse (P = .015), and history of oral sex (P = .01) were significantly associated with concurrent HR-HPV infection in both regions. This study suggests that HR-HPV cervical infections may increase the risk of oral transmission, especially during orogenital sexual practices. Thus, it is important to recognize that HPV infections may be linked in both areas. We emphasize the importance of comprehensive cervical and oral examinations and HPV vaccination in young women irrespective of their sexual practices.

Determinants of Type-Specific Human Papillomavirus Concordance Across Anatomic Sites in Young Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women, 3 U.S. Cities, 2016-2018.

Among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW), the dynamics of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections at different anatomical sites are not well understood. Information on HPV concordance between anatomic sites can inform the extent of autoinoculation, and susceptibility of different anatomic areas to HPV infection. We described and assessed correlates of HPV concordance across anal, oral, and genital samples. We enrolled 1876 MSM and TGW aged 18 to 26 years in 3 US cities. Oral, genital, and anal samples were self-collected for type-specific HPV DNA testing (37 types). Demographics, sexual behaviors, and health history were self-reported. Kappa statistics based on percent positive agreement (kappa+) and generalized estimating equations were used to describe and identify correlates of HPV type-specific concordance between anatomic sample pairs. Any HPV was detected in 69.9%, 48.6%, and 7.4% of anal, genital, and oral samples, respectively. Detection of any HPV (concurrence) was most common in anal-genital pairs (40.9%) and uncommon in oral-genital and oral-anal pairs (3.4% and 6.5% respectively). Type-specific concordance was poor across all sample pairs (kappa+ <0.20). Younger age and older age at first sex were positively associated with type-concordant anal-genital infections. Sexual behaviors were unassociated with concordance. Poor oral/anogenital concordance suggests the oral mucosa has different susceptibility to HPV infection, differential clearance and/or autoinoculation between oral and anogenital sites is unlikely. There was some observed concurrence and concordance between anal and genital sites, unassociated with sexual behavior, suggesting autoinoculation. Longitudinal studies are necessary to further elucidate mechanisms of multisite infections.

Durability of single-dose HPV vaccination in young Kenyan women: randomized controlled trial 3-year results

Cervical cancer burden is high where prophylactic vaccination and screening coverage are low. We demonstrated in a multicenter randomized, double-blind, controlled trial that single-dose human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination had high vaccine efficacy (VE) against persistent infection at 18 months in Kenyan women. Here, we report findings of this trial through 3 years of follow-up. Overall, 2,275 healthy women aged 15–20 years were recruited and randomly assigned to receive bivalent (n = 760), nonavalent (n = 758) or control (n = 757) vaccine. The primary outcome was incident-persistent vaccine type-specific cervical HPV infection. The primary evaluation was superiority analysis in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) HPV 16/18 and HPV 16/18/31/33/45/52/58 cohorts. The trial met its prespecified end points of vaccine type-specific persistent HPV infection. A total of 75 incident-persistent infections were detected in the HPV 16/18 mITT cohort: 2 in the bivalent group, 1 in the nonavalent group and 72 in the control group. Nonavalent VE was 98.8% (95% CI 91.3–99.8%, P < 0.0001) and bivalent VE was 97.5% (95% CI 90.0–99.4%, P < 0.0001). Overall, 89 persistent infections were detected in the HPV 16/18/31/33/45/52/58 mITT cohort: 5 in the nonavalent group and 84 in the control group; nonavalent VE was 95.5% (95% CI 89.0–98.2%, P < 0.0001). There were no vaccine-related severe adverse events. Three years after vaccination, single-dose HPV vaccination was highly efficacious, safe and conferred durable protection. ClinicalTrials.gov no. NCT03675256.

Epidemiology of genital human papillomavirus infections in sequential male sex partners of young females

ObjectivesCouple-based studies have considered human papillomavirus (HPV) transmission between current heterosexual partners (male↔female). Using data from young women and their sequential male partners, we analysed HPV transmission from upstream sexual partnerships (male 1↔female) to downstream sex partners (→male 2). MethodsAmong 502 females enrolled in the HPV Infection and Transmission among Couples through Heterosexual activity study (2005–2011, Montréal, Canada), 42 brought one male sex partner at baseline (male 1) and another during follow-up (male 2). Female genital samples, collected at six visits over 24 months, and male genital samples, collected at two visits over 4 months, were tested for 36 HPV types (n = 1512 detectable infections). We calculated observed/expected ratios with 95% CIs for type-specific HPV concordance between males 1 and 2. Using mixed-effects regression, we estimated ORs with 95% CIs for male 2 testing positive for the same HPV type as male 1. ResultsDetection of the same HPV type in males 1 and 2 occurred 2.6 (CI 1.9–3.5) times more often than chance (29 instances observed vs. 10.95 instances expected). The OR for male 2 positivity was 4.2 (CI 2.5–7.0). Adjusting for the number of times the linking female tested positive for the same HPV type attenuated the relationship between male 1 and 2 positivity, suggesting mediation. ConclusionsHigh type-specific HPV concordance between males 1 and 2 confirms HPV's transmissibility in chains of sequential sexual partnerships. HPV positivity in an upstream partnership predicted positivity in a downstream male when the linking female partner was persistently positive.

Health and economic effects of introducing single-dose or two-dose human papillomavirus vaccination in India

BackgroundCervical cancer is a major public health problem in India, where access to prevention programmes is low. The WHO-Strategic Advisory Group of Experts recently updated their recommendation for human papillomavirus...

Human papillomavirus and p16INK4a in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

We intended to update human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and p16INK4a positivity in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomars (SCC), and calculate HPV attributable fraction (AF) for oropharyngeal SCC by geographic region. We searched Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to identify published studies of HPV prevalence and p16INK4a positivity alone or together in oropharyngeal SCC before December 28, 2021. Studies that reported type-specific HPV DNA prevalence using broad-spectrum PCR-based testing methods were included. We estimated pooled HPV prevalence, type-specific HPV prevalence, and p16INK4a positivity. AF of HPV was calculated by geographic region. One hundred and thirty-four studies including 12 139 cases were included in our analysis. The pooled HPV prevalence estimate for oropharyngeal SCC was 48.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 43.2-53.0). HPV prevalence varied significantly by geographic region, and the highest HPV prevalence in oropharyngeal SCC was noted in North America (72.6%, 95% CI 63.8-80.6). Among HPV positive cases, HPV 16 was the most common type with a prevalence of 40.2% (95% CI 35.7-44.7). The pooled p16INK4a positivity in HPV positive and HPV16 positive oropharyngeal SCC cases was 87.2% (95% CI 81.6-91.2) and 91.7% (84.3-97.2). The highest AFs of HPV and HPV16 were noted in North America at 69.6% (95% CI 53.0-91.5) and 63.0% (48.0-82.7). [Correction added on 31 October 2023, after first online publication: the percentage symbol (%) was missing and has been added to 63.0% (48.0-82.7) in the Abstract and Conclusion.] A significant proportion of oropharyngeal SCC was attributable to HPV. HPV16 accounts for the majority of HPV positive oropharyngeal SCC cases. These findings highlight the importance of HPV vaccination in the prevention of a substantial proportion of oropharyngeal SCC cases.

Characterization of type-specific HPV prevalence in a population of persistent cutaneous warts in Flanders, Belgium

Cutaneous warts are benign skin lesions caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Even though they are considered benign, they can have a considerable impact on the quality of life and cause serious illness in certain immunocompromised populations. Studies have shown that the efficacy of wart treatment is dependent on the causative HPV type. Therefore, in this article, we aim to determine the HPV genotype-specific prevalence in cutaneous warts of a Flemish population as part of the Omnivirol-Salycilic acid randomized controlled trial. Swab samples of cutaneous warts (n = 269) were collected during enrollment. The DNA extraction was performed on the automated NucliSENS® easyMAG® system (bioMérieux). The samples were analyzed with two separate in-house PCR assays capable of detecting the most prevalent cutaneous HPV types (i.e. wart-associated HPV qPCR) as well as the most relevant mucosal types (i.e. RIATOL qPCR assay). In total, the type-specific prevalence of 30 distinct HPV genotypes was determined. The beta-globin gene was used as a cellularity control and for viral load quantification. Data concerning wart persistence, previous treatment, wart type, and other relevant wart and patient characteristics was collected through a baseline questionnaire. The study population consisted mostly of persistent warts considering that 98% (n = 263) of the sampled skin lesions were older than six months and 92% (n = 247) had undergone previous treatment. The most prominent wart type was the mosaic verruca plantaris (42%, n = 113). The most prevalent HPV types were cutaneous HPV types 27 (73%, n = 195), 57 (63%, n = 169), and 2 (42%, n = 113). Only 2% (n = 6) of the lesions was HPV negative. The highest median viral loads were observed with HPV27 and 57 (i.e. 6.29E+04 and 7.47E+01 viral copies per cell respectively). The multivariate analysis found significant associations between wart persistence and certain wart types, the number of warts, and HPV genotypes. Based on these findings, persistent warts are more likely to: (1) be verruca vulgaris, verruca plantaris simple or mosaic, (2) to manifest as multiple warts, (3) and to be negative for HPV type 2 or 4. These characteristics can be useful in the clinical setting for future risk stratification when considering treatment triage and management.Trial registration: NCT05862441, 17/05/2023 (retrospectively registered).

The impact of over ten years of HPV vaccination in England: Surveillance of type-specific HPV in young sexually active females

IntroductionThe UK national human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme was introduced in 2008 using the bivalent HPV16/18 vaccine, changing to the quadrivalent HPV6/11/16/18 vaccine from 2012. We provide an analysis of type-specific HPV prevalence in young sexually active females in England to end 2020 (when the first routinely HPV vaccinated females were reaching 25 years of age and entering the National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme), showing the impact of over ten years of high coverage HPV vaccination. MethodsResidual vulvovaginal swabs (VVS) were collected from 16 to 24 year old women attending for chlamydia screening between 2010 and 2020, anonymised and tested for type-specific HPV DNA. Trends in vaccine and non-vaccine HPV type prevalence were compared over time and association with vaccination coverage was evaluated within the post-vaccination period. ResultsA total of 21,168 eligible VVS specimens were tested for HPV DNA. The prevalence of HPV16/18 in sexually active 16–18 year old females who were offered vaccination aged 12–13 years was <1% in the most recent years tested, compared to over 15% prior to the vaccination programme in 2008. The magnitude of these decreases also suggests reduced transmission is offering some herd protection to unvaccinated females. HPV31/33/45 prevalence also steadily decreased, providing evidence of cross-protection. HPV6/11 prevalence remained stable during the bivalent vaccine period, with more recent declines, as expected due to the use of the quadrivalent vaccine. There has been no substantive increase in the prevalence of other high-risk (HR) HPV types. DiscussionMore than ten years of high coverage HPV vaccination in adolescent females in England has delivered dramatic declines in the prevalence of HPV vaccine-types and closely related HPV types in females in the vaccine eligible age group, and no indication of type replacement. These findings should enable confidence in planning for cervical screening of these females, and in predicting declines in HPV-related cancers.

Assessment of Human Papillomavirus Non-16/18, Type-Specific Risk for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Grade 3 or Worse Among Women With Cervical Atypical Glandular Cells.

To evaluate the risk for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN 3) or worse (including adenocarcinoma in situ [AIS] and invasive cervical cancer) associated with non-16/18 human papillomavirus (HPV) types (other HPV) among women with atypical glandular cells (AGC) in cervical cytology. This population-based cohort study evaluates the risk of CIN 3 or worse associated with other HPV types. Human papillomavirus genotyping was performed on Pap tests collected in Sweden from 341 women with AGC that were positive for other HPV types from February 17, 2014, to December 31, 2018. The women were followed for histopathologic outcomes using comprehensive registry linkages until December 31, 2019. Cumulative incidence proportions of CIN 3 or worse by specific HPV type were calculated using 1-minus Kaplan-Meier function. Hazard ratios (HRs) for CIN 3 or worse were generated using multivariate Cox regression. Of 341 women, 134 (39.3%) had CIN 3-AIS, but there were only five (1.5%) women in the cohort with invasive cervical cancer. Human papillomavirus 45 preceded 80.0% of invasive cervical cancer cases. Among women positive for HPV33, 82.9% (95% CI 58.0-97.3%) had CIN 3 or worse during follow-up. Positivity for HPV31 conferred the highest HR for CIN 3 or worse relative to other types, both in primary cytology and primary HPV screening (HR 2.71, 95% CI 1.47-5.00 and HR 3.41, 95% CI 1.95-5.96, respectively). Among non-16/18 HPV types in AGC, HPV31 and 33 had the highest risk for CIN 3 or worse, whereas most of the women with invasive cancer were positive for HPV45. Extended HPV genotyping may be helpful for the management of AGC.

Age-specific and genotype-specific carcinogenic human papillomavirus prevalence in a country with a high cervical cancer burden: results of a cross-sectional study in Estonia

ObjectivesTo describe age-specific and type-specific carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence prior to large-scale effect of HPV vaccines in Estonia and to analyse the risk factors associated with carcinogenic HPV.DesignCross-sectional study...

Diversity of cervicovaginal human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes and naturally occurring E6/E7 DNA polymorphisms of HPV-16 in Ghana

Human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 oncogene expression is essential for cervical carcinogenesis. Evidence exists that E6/E7 variants may have different transforming activities while the risk of HPV-16 variants (A/D) differs by race/ethnicity. We determined the type-specific diversity of HPV infection in women with high grade cervical disease or cervical cancer in Ghana and investigated naturally occurring E6/E7 DNA variants in this population. HPV genotyping was carried out on 207 cervical swab samples collected from women referred to a gynaecology clinic at two teaching hospitals in Ghana. HPV-16, HPV-18 and HPV-45 were detected in 41.9%, 23.3% and 16.3% of cases respectively. HPV-16 E6/E7 DNA sequencing was performed in 36 samples. Thirty samples contained E6/E7 variants of the HPV-16-B/C lineage. 21/36 samples were of the HPV-16C1 sublineage variant and all contained the E7 A647G(N29S) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). This study reveals the diversity of E6/E7 DNA and the dominance of HPV16 B/C variants in cervicovaginal HPV infection in Ghana. Type-specific HPV diversity analysis indicates that most Ghanaian cervical disease cases are vaccine preventable. The study provides an important baseline from which for the impact of vaccine and antivirals on clinically relevant HPV infection and associated disease can be measured.

Global Type-Specific Genital Human Papillomavirus Prevalence in Men, by Sexual Orientation: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Knowledge on genital type-specific HPV prevalence among men is important for prevention of HPV-related cancers and other diseases. Men who have sex with men (MSM) have higher anal prevalence than men who have sex with women only (MSW) but for genital HPV this is unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of type-specific genital HPV prevalence among men, by sexual orientation. MEDLINE and Embase were used for searching publications reporting on male genital HPV prevalence with data from November 2011 onwards. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted estimating pooled type-specific and grouped external genital and urethral HPV prevalence. Subgroup analyses were conducted for sexual orientation. Twenty-nine studies were eligible. Of those, 13 studies reported prevalence among MSM, 5 among MSW and 13 studies did not stratify by sexual orientation. The most common genotypes were HPV-6 and HPV-16 for both anatomical locations, although heterogeneity was high. HPV prevalence was similar among studies reporting on MSW, MSM and men with unknown sexual orientation. Genital HPV is common among men, with HPV-6 and HPV-16 being the most common genotypes. Type-specific HPV genital prevalence appears to be similar among MSM and MSW, which contrasts with earlier findings on anal HPV.

Electrochemical bioplatform for the determination of the most common and carcinogenic human papillomavirus DNA

Nucleic acid-based analytical bioplatforms have gained importance as diagnostic tests for genomics and as early detection tools for diseases such as cancer. In this context, we report the development of an amperometric bioplatform for the determination of a specific human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) sequence. The bioplatform utilizes an immune-nucleic acid hybrid-sandwich assay. A biotinylated RNA capture probe (RNAbCp), complementary to the selected HPV16 target DNA sequence, was immobilised on the surface of streptavidin coated magnetic microbeads (Strep-MBs). The RNA/DNA heteroduplex resulting from the hybridization of the RNAbCP and the HPV16 target sequence was recognised by a commercial antibody that specifically bound to the heteroduplex (AbDNA-RNA). A horseradish-peroxide labeled secondary antibody (antiIgG-HRP) was used for the detection of AbDNA-RNA. Relying on amperometric detection of the resulting HRP-labeled magnetic bioconjugates captured on screen-printed electrodes (SPCEs) in the presence of H2O2 and hydroquinone (HQ), the biotool achieved a low limit of detection (0.5 pM) for the synthetic HPV16 target DNA. In addition, the developed bioplatform was able to discriminate between HPV16 positive and negative human cancer cells using only 25 ng of amplified DNA in a test time of 45 min

A Rapid, Sensitiveand Type-Specific Detection of High-Risk HPV-16 and HPV-18.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, particularly infection with HPVs 16 and 18, is a major cause of cervical cancer. The current high-risk HPV screening or diagnosis tests use cytological or molecular techniques that are primarily based on qualitative HPV DNA detection. Comparative studies, however, revealed that different assays have varying sensitivities for detecting specific HPV types. Here, we developed and optimized a sensitive PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) assay for detection of high-risk HPV-16 and HPV-18. The PCR parameters were optimized, and analytical specificities were validated. Performance of developed PCR assay was evaluated in clinical samples (n = 100) which showed 100% specificity for both the assays and 96.97% and 94.12% sensitivity for HPV-16 and HPV-18, respectively. The developed assay demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for detection of high-risk HPV-16 and HPV-18, making it applicable to routine HPV detection practices.

High prevalence and co-infection of high-risk Human Papillomavirus genotypes among unvaccinated young women from Paraguay.

Paraguay launched a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program in 2013, so virological surveillance is important for measuring the impact of HPV vaccines. This study aimed to estimate the type-specific HPV frequency in unvaccinated sexually active women aged 18-25 years in the metropolitan area of Asuncion as a baseline for monitoring the HPV vaccination program. This study included 208 women, attending the Central Laboratory of Public Health between May 2020 and December 2021, were invited for testing through social networks and flyers at local health centers and higher education institutes. All participants who agreed to contribute to the study signed a free, prior, and informed consent form and answered a questionnaire that included basic demographic data and determining factors of HPV infection. Human papillomavirus detection and genotyping were conducted using the CLART HPV2 test (Genomica, Madrid, Spain) that allows the individual identification of 35 genotypes. 54.8% women were positive for any HPV type, with 42.3% positive for high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types. Several factors were associated with HPV detection including the number of sexual partners, new sexual partners, non-use of condoms, and history of other sexual infections. Moreover, multiple infections were identified in 43.0% of the young women. We detected 29 different viral types present in both single and multiple infections. HPV-58 was the most commonly detected HPV type (14.9%), followed by HPV-16, HPV-51, and HPV-66 (12.3%). We estimated the prevalence of bivalent (16/18), quadrivalent (6/11/16/18), and nonavalent (6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58) vaccine types to be 8.2%, 13%, and 38%, respectively. These results reinforce the importance of surveillance studies and provide the first data regarding circulating HPV genotypes in the unvaccinated population in Paraguay, thus generating a baseline to compare future changes in the overall and type-specific HPV prevalence after HPV vaccination.