Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among 34 745 female patients from 2019 to 2024, providing references for cervical cancer prevention, vaccination strategies and vaccine development.
METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 34 745 female patients who voluntarily underwent HPV genotyping tests at the Department of Gynecology, Ruijin Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital from Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2024. Participants were stratified into five age groups: <30, 30–39, >39–49, >49–59 and >59 years. HPV-DNA subtypes were detected with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and infection status and subtype distributions across different age groups and time periods were analyzed.
RESULTS A total of 8 872 cases were HPV-positive, with an infection rate of 25.53%. The infection rate increased with age (P<0.01), peaking in the >59-year-old group (42.45%). The high-risk HPV infection rate was 22.43%, while the low-risk HPV infection rate was 3.11%. Single infection predominated (69.43%), and among multiple infection, dual infections were the most common (67.81%). Significant differences were observed across age groups in HPV infection rates, high-risk HPV infection rates, single infection rates and multiple infection rates (P<0.05). The top five HPV subtypes were HPV52, 58, 53, 16 and 39 with positive rates of 6.84%, 3.70%, 3.00%, 2.95% and 2.18%, respectively all were high-risk types. In the <30-year-old group, the top five subtypes were HPV52, 16, 58, 53 and 39 (51), while other age groups shared HPV52, 58, 53 and 16 as the top four with minor variations in the fifth. From 2019 to 2024, HPV infection rates (26.60%, 31.03%, 25.56%, 20.69%, 23.83%, 29.28%), high-risk HPV infection rates (22.92%, 27.31%, 22.59%, 17.89%, 20.64%, 26.60%), single infection rates (18.04%, 21.05%, 18.00%, 14.70%, 16.66%, 20.14%) and multiple infection rates peaked in 2020 and reached their lowest in 2022. Multivariate logistic analysis identified that age was positively correlated with HPV infection (OR=1.021, 95%CI: 1.018−1.023, P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS The HPV infection rate in the local female population is 25.53%, increasing with age and highest among those >59 years old. The top five HPV subtypes are HPV52, 58, 53, 16 and 39. For HPV vaccination, the 9-valent vaccine is recommended as the priority.