HPV genotypes in women with squamous intraepithelial lesions and normal cervixes participating in a community-based microbicide study in Pretoria, South Africa.

BACKGROUND Little is known regarding the human papillomaviruses (HPV) genotypes prevalent in women in South Africa, a country with a high incidence of cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and HPV genotypes in women with squamous abnormalities and normal cervixes participating in a community-based microbicide study. STUDY DESIGN A total of 159 cervical specimens, including 56 specimens from women with abnormal cytology (cases) and 103 randomly selected specimens from women with normal cytology (controls), were collected. HPV was detected by consensus PCR primers and HPV genotypes were determined by Roche Linear Array HPV genotyping assay. RESULTS HPV genotypes were found in 91% of cases and 40% of controls (p<0.005). High-risk HPV was detected in all high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs), 69% of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), 57% of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), and 86% of ASCUS in which HSIL could not be excluded (ASCUS-H), and 73% of HPV positive controls. HPV-35 was the predominant genotype in HSILs; HPV-18 in ASCUS; HPV-58 in ASCUS-H and HPV-16 in LSILs and controls. CONCLUSION High-risk HPV prevalence was high in both cases and controls. HPV genotype distribution in HSILs was different from that reported worldwide and from other studies in South Africa.