High genotypic diversity of human papillomavirus among women in Cameroon: implications for vaccine effectiveness

•Africa has the highest positivity rate of circulating HR-HPV genotypes in the world.•Sub-Saharan Africa is the area with the highest rate of HR-HPV.•Several HR-HPV genotypes other than 16 and 18 are present in Cameroon.•No available HR-HPV vaccine is yet used in Cameroon.•The 9-valent vaccine would achieve much better vaccine coverage. The burden of human papillomavirus (HPV) is high in Cameroon, but knowledge on high-risk oncogenic HPV (HR-HPV) is limited. Our study sought to ascertain the HR-HPV genotypes circulating in Cameroon. A cross-sectional study was conducted among non-vaccinated women in Cameroon. Detection of HR-HPV was performed by real-time PCR on cervico-vaginal swabs. Predictors of HR-HPV were determined following logistic regression analysis, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. In total, 364 women were enrolled, with a median age of 41 (34–50) years. Of these, 3.0% were smokers and 26.09% reported having more than three sexual partners. The overall HR-HPV positivity rate was 21.43% (95% CI 17.21–25.64). Predictors of HR-HPV were young age, i.e < 41 years (aOR (95% CI) 0.408 (0.194–0.862); p = 0.018), smoking (aOR 5.199 (1.314–20.575); p = 0.018), and having more than three sex partners (aOR: 2.335 (1.133–4.811); p = 0.022). Overall, 12 HR-HPV genotypes were identified, with 26.98% women coinfected with at least two HR-HPVs, including one case of a triple coinfection. According to to the circulating genotypes, potential vaccine effectiveness was 47% for the 4-valent vaccine and 70% for the 9-valent vaccine. Within the Cameroonian context, at least one out of five women is likely to be an HR-HPV carrier, especially among young people, smokers, and those with multiple sexual partners. Importantly, HR-HPV infection is highly diversified, with vaccine efficacy ranging from about 47% (4-valent) to 70% (9-valent).