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. 2025 May 27;25(1):760.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-025-11128-6.

HPV genotype distribution and cervical lesions in Chongqing: a comprehensive analysis of 229,770 females (2015‒2023)

Hongli Ding #  1 , Hao Jin #  1 , Yishu Tang  2
Affiliations

HPV genotype distribution and cervical lesions in Chongqing: a comprehensive analysis of 229,770 females (2015‒2023)

Hongli Ding et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer ranks fourth among cancers in women globally, with over 300,000 deaths annually worldwide. Persistent high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection is the main cause of cervical cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for cervical cancer screening. This study analyses the distribution of HPV genotypes and further investigates their association with the severity of cervical lesions, aiming to develop prevention and screening strategies for cervical cancer.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 229,770 females who underwent HPV DNA testing at The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2015 and December 2023 to assess the epidemiological distribution of HPV genotypes. In addition, HPV genotypes were further analysed in cervical samples from 749 patients in 2023 who were screened for HPV DNA and had available histological diagnoses. HPV genotyping was performed using capillary electrophoresis analysis.

Results: The overall HPV prevalence was 21.41% among 229,770 patients over the past nine years. Among hr-HPV types, the five most common genotypes were HPV52 (4.55%), HPV16 (3.44%), HPV58 (2.94%), HPV56 (1.33%), and HPV39 (1.32%). Single HPV infection (16.89%) was more common than multiple infections. HPV prevalence exhibited a bimodal distribution, peaking in the under-30 and over-60 age groups. Among 749 HPV-positive patients, the cervical cancer group had the highest median age of 55(interquartile range, 48‒65) years. HPV16 showed the highest prevalence across the different degrees of cervical lesions, followed by HPV52 and HPV58. HR-HPV was found in nearly all cervical cancer cases, with a prevalence of 88.43%, 98.55%, and 97.39% in the low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, and cervical cancer groups, respectively.

Conclusions: The distribution of HPV genotypes varies by year and age group. HPV16, HPV18, HPV52, and HPV58 are the predominant genotypes detected in high-grade cervical lesions and cervical cancer groups. Given the high prevalence in these lesions, vaccines incorporating HPV52 and HPV58 may offer enhanced protection. Based on local epidemiological data, adaptable vaccination programs and effective screening are essential for preventing and reducing the risk of cervical cancer.

Keywords: Cervical lesions; Genotype; Human papillomavirus.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: As this study was a retrospective study and the identities of patients were intentionally anonymized, no individual informed consent was required, so this study was approved by the Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (approval number K2024-124-01) and subject informed consent was exempted. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Prevalence of HPV Genotypes in 229,770 Females from 2015 to 2023 (HR-HPV and LR-HPV). HPV, human papillomavirus; HR, high-risk; LR, low-risk
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Prevalence of HPV infection from 2015 to 2023. (A) High-risk (HR), low-risk (LR), and any HPV infection. (B) Single, double, triple, and quadruple or more infections
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Age distribution of HPV genotypes. (A) High-risk (HR), low-risk (LR), and any HPV infection. (B) Single, double, triple, and quadruple or more infections
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Prevalence of single, double, and multiple HPV infections over the past 9 years
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
The infection rate of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPV) across different groups of cervical lesions. HSIL, high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion; LSIL, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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