Prevalence of different subtypes of HPV infection among patients with
normal cervical cytology smears in a maternity hospital in Kuwait.
Abstract
Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major
public health concern and the primary cause of cervical cancer
worldwide. Understanding the regional distribution of HPV subtypes is
crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
Objective: To determine the distribution of HPV subtypes among
Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti populations in the state of Kuwait and evaluate
any significant differences in subtype prevalence between these groups.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted analyzing HPV
testing results from 234 patients (190 Kuwaiti and 44 non-Kuwaiti) at a
tertiary healthcare center in Kuwait. HPV genotyping was performed to
identify specific subtypes, and statistical analysis was conducted to
compare the distribution between nationalities using chi-square tests.
Results: The study identified 36 different HPV subtypes, with
HPV-53 (16.24%), HPV-42 (15.38%), HPV-6 (14.96%), HPV-16 (14.53%),
and HPV-54 (13.68%) being the most prevalent. Among these, 19 were
classified as high-risk.and 17 as low-risk. The distribution analysis
between Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti populations showed no statistically
significant differences in subtype prevalence (p>0.05 for all
comparisons). High-risk HPV types were found in both population groups,
with HPV-53 being the most common high-risk type. Conclusion:
This study reveals a unique pattern of HPV subtype distribution in
Kuwait, differing from global patterns where HPV-16 and HPV-18 typically
predominate. The lack of significant differences between nationalities
suggests that demographic factors may not strongly influence HPV subtype
distribution in this population. These findings have important
implications for vaccination strategies and screening programs in Kuwait
and the broader Gulf region.