Analysis of HPV Genotypes and Liquid-Based Cervical Cytology: Results from a Tertiary Academic Center in Northwestern Turkey

High-risk human papilloma virus (hrHPV) plays an important role in cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of HPV genotypes in the region and to correlate it with liquid-based-cytology (LBC) and colposcopic biopsy results. Furthermore, the potential relationship between HPV infections and bacterial vaginosis (BV) was investigated. HPV genotypes were determined using real-time PCR. LBC, biopsies, and BV examinations were performed by the Pathology and Cytology. Consecutive cervical specimens of 409 women who underwent both cytology and HPV-DNA tests were included in the study. A total of 172 (42.1%) patients were positive for HPV-DNA; of these, 107 (26.2%) had hrHPV. The most common HPV genotypes were HPV 59, 16, 33, 52, and 51, at 16.6%, 15.9%, 13.4%, 13.4%, and 8.9%, respectively. Epithelial cell abnormality was detected in 11.5% of LBC test results. The genotypes of HPV 33, 56, 66, and 68 were found at a higher rate in patients with epithelial cell abnormalities than in those with no detected abnormalities. Bacterial vaginosis was found in 24 patients (5.9%). HPV-DNA positivity was observed to be statistically higher in patients with BV than in those without BV.