Abstract
Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with both sexes’ oropharyngeal and anogenital warts and malignancies. This virus has several genotypes, including high-risk and low-risk subtypes. Some genotypes are less known. This study investigated the prevalence of HPV genotypes, which could lead to the development of more effective vaccines and preventive strategies.
Methods: A total of 851 samples, including 693 swabs of Pap Smear and 158 skin lesions from genital warts were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-Hybridization method to determine 19 high-risk and 18 low-risk HPV genotypes.
Results: The participants’ mean age was 34.58±8.44, and most of them were between 31 to 40 years old. Totally, 257 participants (30.2%) tested positive for HPV; of these, 181 (21.2%) were positive for a single HPV subtype and 76 (8.9%) were infected by two or more HPV subtypes. The most frequent high-risk genotypes were HPV 16, 51, 56, and 66 in women and HPV 51, 16, 66, and 39 in men. Most frequent low-risk genotypes belonged to HPV 6, 11, 42, and 91. Moreover, HPV16 was the most prevalent high-risk HPV, especially when combined with genotype 52.
Conclusion: Due to the majority of HPV-positive results, men play a significant role. It is suggested that men and women should receive intensive education on prevention and vaccination, with an emphasis on younger generations. Research on HPV in men, accompanied by women’s screening and routine vaccination in both genders, may be beneficial in reducing the consequences of this infection.