Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus infection among Kurdish people, Iran

Human papillomavirus is a common sexually transmitted infection and a health concern, being the major cause of cervical cancer and genital warts. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus in the Kurdish population.

A total of 2650 samples from individuals attending central laboratories in Sanandaj, the center of Kurdistan Province in north-west Iran, were tested for human papillomavirus infection. Cervical samples were collected from women using a cervical brush, while semen samples were collected from men. Cervical samples were stored in a vial with cell preservation solution, while semen samples were stored at room temperature until complete liquefaction of the semen. Human papillomavirus DNA from positive samples was extracted using a high-purity viral nucleic acid kit, and human papillomavirus genotyping was performed using the ZYTOVISION human papillomavirus Chip1.0 genotyping system according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Of the 2610 samples screened, 655 were found positive for human papillomavirus and included in the human papillomavirus molecular typing analysis. The overall prevalence of human papillomavirus in the study samples was 25.1%. Of the 655 positive samples, 645 (98.5%) were women and 10 (1.5%) were men. The mean age was 35.95 years (women: 36.06 years and men: 28.81 years). The most common genotypes identified were types 6 (30.1%), 16(14.4%), and 54(9.0%). Of those affected, 387 (59.1%) had a single human papillomavirus infection and 268 (40.9%) had multiple infections.

This study showed that the prevalence of human papillomavirus among Kurdish women is relatively high. The findings highlight the importance of targeted human papillomavirus vaccination programs and screening strategies, particularly in younger age groups, to reduce the burden of human papillomavirus-related disease in this setting. Future studies should investigate the impact of cultural and behavioral factors on human papillomavirus transmission and associated health outcomes in this population.