Prevalence of HPV Infection During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic in Zhangzhou, Fujian

We assessed whether HPV prevalence and genotype distribution among women screened in Zhang- zhou, Fujian, differed between the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 - 2022) and the post-pandemic period (2023 - 2024).

We analyzed routine HPV DNA testing results from 115,557 women and compared overall prevalence, single-type vs. multiple-type infections, and genotype patterns across age groups and time periods using standard statistical tests.

Overall HPV prevalence was higher after the pandemic than during it. The most common high-risk types across the study were HPV52, HPV51, HPV58, HPV16, and HPV39; low-risk HPV81 became prominent in the post-pandemic period. Both single-type and multiple-type infections increased after the pandemic. The ≤ 24-year group had the highest prevalence, and prevalence also rose in women ≥ 55 years.

Our large single-center dataset suggests increased HPV detection after the pandemic, with stable dominance of East-Asia-relevant types (notably HPV52/58) and a shift toward higher detection of HPV81 post-pandemic. Because behavioral and vaccination data were not collected, we avoid causal attribution; observed differences may reflect changes in screening attendance, age mix, and community transmission. These findings support targeted screening and vaccination strategies in southern China.