Human papillomavirus infection in Shenyang City, People's Republic of China: a population-based study

To investigate the prevalence of, and risk factors for, cervical infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) in Shenyang City, People's Republic of China, we interviewed and obtained cervical cell samples from 685 women aged 15–59 years enumerated from local population lists. Human papillomavirus DNA was detected in cervical cell samples using a GP5+/6+-based PCR assay for 44 HPV types. Human papillomavirus prevalence was 16.8% overall and 13.6% among women without cervical abnormalities (16.6% and 12.4%, respectively, age-standardised to the world standard population), with no significant trends in HPV prevalence by age group. Of the 32 types identified, high-risk HPV types predominated in all age groups, HPV16 being the most common (3.4% of all women), followed by HPV52 (2.5%) and 58 (1.9%). Multiple-type infections accounted for 31.3% of all infected women. Not being married, reporting multiple sexual partners and husband's extramarital sexual relationships were all significantly associated with being HPV-positive. The disclosure of a relatively high HPV prevalence in Shenyang, in comparison with other worldwide populations, raises important questions concerning the prevention of cervical cancer in China, especially given the promising efficacy of prophylactic HPV vaccines.