• Determining the prevalence of HPV in different cities in Iran by defining the most common genotypes in 2024
  • Behnoush Ashoubi,1 Ghazaleh Malekizadeh,2 Mahdiye Shirmohammad,3 Kaveh Sadeghi,4,*
    1. Department of Molecular Diagnostic NOOR Laboratory, Iran, Tehran
    2. Department of Molecular Diagnostic NOOR Laboratory, Iran, Tehran
    3. Department of Molecular Diagnostic NOOR Laboratory, Iran, Tehran


  • Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA tumor virus that primarily infects human epithelial cells, transmitted through skin-to-skin or sexual contact. Various HPV types are linked to malignancies such as cervical and penile cancer. The global prevalence of HPV has surged, including in Iran, highlighting the need for effective control strategies. This study aims to assess the average age of morbidity in men and women, identify the most common types, and explore actions for developing effective vaccines tailored to different regions.
  • Methods: The most common samples which can be used for HPV are cervix, vaginal, vaginal discharge and warts for women. on the other hand, urine, swap and warts are preferable samples for men. in this study, we have examined 2200 patients gathered from different cities of Iran, sent to Noor Laboratory for conducting Molecular tests. in the first step, DNA extraction was carried out based on standard protocols suitable for different samples, to be certain of the right integrity and purity of extracted DNA Nanodrop test carried out for all samples. in the last step, Quantitative Polymerase Chain (qPCR) was performed to detect Negative and positive samples by defining the exact genotype of positive patients.
  • Results: based on the obtained results of our study, about 83% of patients were women. While men accounted 17% of whole number, with the average age of 35 in women and 40 in men. Our results also demonstrated that Genotypes 51, 52 and 6 had the highest rate of prevalence among positive patients. Those patients diagnosed with Genotypes 51 and 52 had higher risk of developing cancer later in their life. While, affected people diagnosed with Genotype 6 do not have any important health concern but physical beauty.
  • Conclusion: The results of our study highlight a significant gender imbalance in HPV prevalence, with women comprising 83% of the patient population and an average age of 35, compared to men at 17% with an average age of 40. This disparity may suggest differing risk factors or exposure routes between genders that warrant further investigation. The identification of high-risk genotypes, particularly HPV types 51 and 52, among the patients is concerning due to their association with cervical and other cancers, indicating a need for preventive measures and regular screenings. Conversely, the prevalence of HPV type 6, while the highest among patients, appears to pose minimal health risks beyond cosmetic concerns. This duality in HPV subtype prevalence emphasizes the necessity of targeted public health interventions, focusing on high-risk variants while also acknowledging the broader implications of HPV infections on women's health. Continued research is essential to better understand these dynamics and improve health outcomes.
  • Keywords: Human Papilloma virus, Genotypes, quantitative Real Time PCR