Epidemiology of human papillomavirus strains in Southern Nigeria: A cross-sectional analysis.
AI interpretation is pending for this paper.
Open original publication →What the AI sees
Not AI summarized yet.
Research significance
Pending deeper interpretation.
Source abstract
BACKGROUND: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 16 and HPV18 strains cause approximately 70% of all cervical cancer cases. Understanding the predominant strains is critical for HPV vaccination programmes. We identified the HPV strains prevalent among women in Southern Nigeria to generate evidence to guide the national HPV vaccination programme. METHODS: HPV genotypes were identified in three geopolitical zones of Nigeria among asymptomatic women using two molecular methods. The BGI workflow was a PCR-NGS method utilising samples collected with cards. The Sansure workflow involves two real-time PCR assays: the first to identify OHR from HPV16/18, and the second to genotype the OHR. Both Sansure assays had different detection limits of 1000 DNA copies/mL and 400 DNA copies/mL, respectively. We further collected self-reported data on HPV vaccination. RESULTS: 985 women were recruited and tested. Twelve and fourteen women had HPV genotypes 16 and 18, respectively, while 188 had other high-risk genotypes. Women had infections with one (69.8%), two (18.1%) or multiple (10.9%) HPV strains, while a few were unresolved (1.3%). The detection frequencies for the OHR strains (n) were HPV45 (29), HPV35(28), HPV51(22), HPV66(20), HPV58(19), HPV52(18), HPV59(18), HPV68(17), HPV31(15), HPV56(15), HPV39(11), HPV53(11) and HPV33(4). HPV 16/18 strains were detected more frequently in the unvaccinated group, although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: HPV infection among women in southern Nigeria shows other high-risk HPV predominant, often as a co-infection with multiple strains. Further studies are needed to evaluate their oncogenic association, guide the national vaccination and implement a risk-based screening programme to focus treatment resources on the highest-risk patients.