High prevalence of HPV59 in cytologically abnormal cervical samples

Background: Cervical cancer is the second most common form of cancer among women. There are over 100 different types of human papillomavirus (HPV), 40 of which are frequently detected in anogenital mucosa. HPV is the primary etiological agent of cervical cancer and is present predominantly in cervical cancers. Thirteen commonly recognized high-risk genotypes have oncogenic potential. The most common high-risk HPV (hrHPV) genotypes in cervical cancer are HPV16 and HPV18, which have the greatest malignancies. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of hrHPV types in patient samples received at the Mount Sinai Medical Center for routine cytology and HPV testing. In addition, the study compared the sensitivity of the Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) and Roche Linear Array HPV Genotyping assays. Methods: Cytology specimens with abnormal diagnoses were tested for HPV by the Roche Linear Array HPV Genotyping and Digene Hybrid Capture 2 molecular systems. Results: The Roche Linear Array HPV Genotyping Assay was more sensitive than HC2. Additionally, specimens exhibited higher rates of HPV16, HPV51, and HPV59 infections than HPV16 and HPV18 infections. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that geographical distribution of HPV genotypes may play an important role in clinical management of HPV infection, particularly when treating cervical dysplasia and recommending HPV vaccination.