Human papillomavirus prevalence and type in liquid-based cervical samples from Turkish women in a selected risk group

Aim: To detect the prevalence and type distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) in different cytological diagnostic categories. Materials and methods: Between 2007 and 2010, a total of 1014 liquid-based thin preparations of cervical smears were selected and classified according to cytology results. HPV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was also performed using these samples. HPV DNA-positive samples were genotyped by DNA sequencing. Results: Of those enrolled in the study, 45.3% were negative cytologically, 36.4% had atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, 0.3% had atypical squamous cells preventing the exclusion of a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 16.8% showed a low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, and 1.3% had an high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion. Conclusion: PCR assays showed HPV positivity in 63.0% of cytologically negative and 90.8% of cytologically positive samples. The most common types of HPV detected were 16, 6, 18, 31, 66, 56, 53, 81, 45, and 62. Of HPV DNA-positive samples, 47.7% were high, 4.7% were intermediate, and 17.9% were low risk. The high-risk types of HPV detected were 16, 18, 31, 56, 53, 45, 62, 58, 59, 67, 51, 35, 73, 52, 33, 39, 68, and 82.