Comparative HPV genotype distribution among women with normal and abnormal cervical cytology in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Background: The epidemiology of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the pattern of HPV genotype distribution are parameters needed to assess the risk of cervical cancer. Oncogenic HPV types are well-known pathogen for lower genital tract neoplasias, representing the primary cause of cancer death in Africa and the second in Cameroon. This study was conducted to identify the various genotypes particularly the high-risk HPV types in normal and abnormal cervical cytology from women in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Methodology: This was a hospital-based, analytical cross-sectional study carried out on 226 symptomatic women wherein cervico-vaginal samples were obtained during gynaecological examination for Pap smears, HPV-DNA and genotype detection with linear array HPV strip, conducted from November 2019 to January 2021. Results: From the 226 women whose cervical samples were collected for Pap smears, 71 (31.4%) had abnormal cytology results while 155 (68.6%) had normal results. The overall HPV prevalence in the study population was 34.1% (77/226). The HPV prevalence in women with abnormal Pap smears was 100% (71/71) and are distributed in following descending order; LSIL (21.1%, 15/71), HSIL (21.1%, 15/71), ASC-US (19.7%, 14/71), ICC (19.7%, 14/71) andothers (18.4%, 13/71). HPV-DNA was positive in 6 (3.9%) of the 155 women with normal cytology results, 4 (2.6%) of whom were high-risk HPV. There is statistically significant difference in the HPV prevalence between women with abnormal and normal Pap smear results (OR=3289, 95% CI=182.62-59235, p