Meta-Analysis on Prevalence and Attribution of Human Papillomavirus Types 52 and 58 in Cervical Neoplasia Worldwide

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and attribution of two non-vaccine-covered HPV types (HPV52 and HPV58) across the world. METHODS: Meta-analysis on studies reported in English and Chinese between 1994 and 2012. RESULTS: The pooled prevalence and attribution rates of HPV52 and HPV58 in invasive cervical cancers were significantly higher in Eastern Asia compared to other regions (HPV52 prevalence: 5.7% vs. 1.8–3.6%, P<0.001; HPV52 attribution: 3.7% vs. 0.2–2.0%; HPV58 prevalence: 9.8% vs. 1.1–2.5%, P<0.001; HPV58 attribution: 6.4% vs. 0.7–2.2%, P<0.001). Oceania has an insufficient number of studies to ascertain the prevalence of HPV52. Within Eastern Asia, the attribution of HPV58 to invasive cervical cancer was 1.8-fold higher than that of HPV52. Similarly, HPV52 and HPV58 shared a higher prevalence and attribution among cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Eastern Asia. In contrast to the classical high-risk type, HPV16, the prevalence and attribution of HPV52 and HPV58 decreased with increasing lesion severity. Thus, HPV52 and HPV58 behave as an “intermediate-risk” type. CONCLUSION: The attribution of HPV52 and HPV58 to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive cancer in Eastern Asia were respectively 2.5–2.8 and 3.7–4.9 folds higher than elsewhere. Changes in the attributed disease fraction can serve as a surrogate marker for cross-protection or type replacement following widespread use of HPV16/18-based vaccines. This unique epidemiology should be considered when designing HPV screening assays and vaccines for Eastern Asia.