Cervical cancer remains a significant public health concern, with persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections being a major contributing factor. This retrospective study investigates the correlation between multiple HPV infections and cervical cytology abnormalities in patients tested at a single hospital in Seoul, South Korea. A total of 6,869 HPV genotyping tests conducted between January 2017 and December 2023 were analyzed, with 1,396 cases testing positive for HPV. High-risk HPV (HRHPV) types were detected in 59.0% of HPV-positive cases, with HPV 53 being the most prevalent genotype. The frequency of squamous intraepithelial abnormalities (SIA) increased with the number of concurrent HPV infections. Among single infections, 24.2% had SIA, compared to 38.4% for two genotypes, 43.9% for three, and 70.0% for four. HRHPV-positive cases had a significantly higher prevalence of high-grade lesions (ASC-H and HSIL) compared to non-HRHPV and HPV-negative cases. However, no significant difference in cytological outcomes was observed among different co-infection groups. These findings suggest that multiple HPV infections may associated with increased cytological abnormalities, particularly in HRHPV-positive cases. Regional variations in HPV genotype prevalence highlight the need for tailored vaccination and screening strategies. While this study provides valuable epidemiological insights, its retrospective nature and lack of long-term follow-up warrant further research.
Kim et al. (Thu,) studied this question.