Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus subtypes 16 and 18 among Yemeni Patients with Cervical Cancer

BACKGROUND: The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA tumor virus that causes epithelial proliferation. There are more than 100 HPV subtypes, of which 13 subtypes are regarded as high risk subtypes that can cause cancers of epithelial mucosal surfaces. High risk human papilloma viruses (HR-HPV) subtypes 16 and 18 plays a major role in the etiology of cervical cancer worldwide. Therefore, the aim of this study was to screen for the existence of HPV16 and HPV18 among Yemeni women with cervical lesions. METHODOLOGY: Formalin fixed paraffin wax processed tissue blocks were retrieved for 200 patients (150 were previously diagnosed with cervical cancer and the remaining 50 were diagnosed with different benign conditions). RESULTS: Of the 200 cervical cancer tissue specimens, HR-HPV 16 was identified in 74/200 (37%) samples and couldn’t be recognized in 126/200(63%) tissue samples. HR-HPV 18 was identified in 32/200 (16%) specimens and couldn’t be recognized in 168/200(84%) tissue specimens. CONCLUSION: HR-HPV subtypes were prevalent among Yemeni women with cervical cancer, with significant increase of HR-HPV subtype 16 over the HR-HPV subtype 18.