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Human Papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in population younger than 12 years old: A meta-analysis and systematic review
Mona Sadat Larijani1, Amir Javadi2, Amirabbas Faridpour3
1Clinical Research Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is prevalent in children, with an overall estimated prevalence of 14.7%. Further research is needed to monitor HPV acquisition in young populations, especially those born to HPV-positive mothers.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence studies in children show significant heterogeneity.
- A comprehensive understanding of overall HPV infection rates in pediatric populations is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze existing studies on HPV prevalence in children under 12 years old.
- To determine the overall prevalence of HPV infection in children and identify factors influencing it.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies investigating HPV detection in oropharyngeal, nasopharyngeal, and/or anogenital samples from children under 12.
- Inclusion criteria focused on HPV prevalence, sample type, and participant age.
Main Results:
- Analysis of 15 studies (1994-2021) involving 2638 children revealed an overall HPV prevalence of 14.7%.
- Prevalence was higher in children over 1 year old (25.4%), with buccal swabs showing the highest infection rates.
- Children born to HPV-positive mothers had a higher prevalence (median 17.5%) compared to those born to HPV-negative mothers (median 5.55%).
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of HPV in children is notably high, necessitating further prospective research and monitoring.
- Special attention should be given to monitoring HPV acquisition in infants born to HPV-positive mothers.
- Follow-up studies are crucial to assess HPV persistence and inform HPV vaccination strategies and public health policies.
Background:
The prevalence of HPV in children has been studied in different populations; however, the heterogeneity between the investigations is remarkable, and the total prevalence of HPV infection in this population is not well understood.
Methods:
The conducted studies on the prevalence of HPV infection in the population < 12 years old were explored and analyzed through a systematic review and meta-analysis approach. The studies which investigated HPV detection in oropharyngeal, nasopharyngeal and/or anogenital samples were included. HPV prevalence, sample type and age were considered as the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis.
Results:
Fifteen published studies between 1994 and 2021 with a total number of 2638 children aged from 1 day to 12 years, were analyzed. The total HPV prevalence in this population is estimated to be 14.7 % with the highest rate in kids over 1 year old, accounting for 25.4 %. Furthermore, the type of samples showed that buccal swabs had the highest rate of infection. The ratio of HPV-positive children born to HPV-positive mothers varied from 3 % to 55 % (median: 17.5 %), while this ratio decreased to 0-19.7 % (median 5.55 %) in HPV-positive kids born to HPV-negative mothers.
Conclusion:
According to the present analysis, the prevalence of HPV in children is relatively high and requires further prospective studies and monitoring HPV acquisition in the young population, specifically in those born to HPV-positive mothers. Follow-up studies to assess the persistency rate of HPV after infancy are needed in order to highlight any possible implications for HPV vaccination programs and policy-making.
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