The prevalence of HPV among 164,137 women in China exhibited some unique epidemiological characteristics

OBJECTIVE: The persistence of HPV infection is a significant etiological factor in the development of cervical cancer. The present study investigated the prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) in a cohort of 164,137 unvaccinated women from Wenzhou, aiming to provide guidance for clinics in the cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination strategies. METHODS: The present retrospective study included a total of 164,137 women, comprising 118,484 outpatients and 45,653 healthy female subjects recruited from 2015 to 2020. Cervical exfoliated cells were collected from these participants for subsequent DNA extraction. The extracted DNA samples were underwent analysis using a fluorescence in situ hybridization method, encompassing the detection of 27 HPV genotypes. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of HPV was 17.35%; this corresponded to a prevalence of 19.10% in the outpatient group and 12.82% in the healthy female group. Among the outpatient group, the five most prevalent HPV genotypes were identified as HPV 52, 58, 16, 53, and 61. In the healthy female group, the five most common HPV genotypes were found to be HPV 52, 53, 58, 61, and 81. Additionally, it was estimated that the highest rate of HPV infection occurred among individuals aged between 10 and 19 years old (44.65%) and those aged between 60 and 69 years old (27.35%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HPV in this region is substantial; therefore, it is imperative to implement scientifically sound and rational clinical interventions such as vaccination. Routine cervical screening should be performed to prevent the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia resulting from persistent infection with high-risk HPV, particularly in women with gynecological diseases and those over 60 years old. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13027-023-00553-4.