Distribution of Human Papillomavirus Genotypes among Women in Mashhad, Iran

Cervical cancer is the third most common malignancy in females. Since the human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype can vary geographically, it is essential to define its genotypic distribution before establishing health care policies and vaccination programs in any given area. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of HPV types in women in Mashhad, Iran.

We used nested PCR and reverse dot-blot hybridization for genotyping. The study included 143 cervical cytology samples from Mashhad with confirmed papillomavirus infection by molecular methods.

We found that 74.1% of HPV types were in high-risk groups, including genotypes 16, 18, 39, 52, 58, 66, 68, and 73. Coinfection was detected in 56.4% of the cases. The low-risk group, comprising 25.9%, included genotypes 6, 11, 42, and 44/55.

Prevention, early diagnosis, and early treatment have been proven to reduce the mortality rate of cervical cancer. Therefore, an accurate diagnosis of the genotype of the virus in infected patients is very important.