High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Genotypes and Their Association with Cervical Cytological Changes among Women in Benghazi: A Molecular Cross-Sectional Study
Keywords:
Human papillomavirus, High-risk HPV, HPV genotypes, Cervical cytology, Cervical lesions, BenghaziAbstract
Cervical cancer is strongly associated with persistent infection by high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV). This molecular cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and distribution of HR-HPV genotypes and their association with cervical cytological changes among women in Benghazi, Libya. Cervical specimens were collected from 300 women aged 21–65 years. Cytological findings were classified according to the Bethesda System, while HPV DNA was detected and genotyped using real-time polymerase chain reaction. HR-HPV was identified in 51 women, giving an overall prevalence of 17.0%. HPV-16 was the predominant genotype, followed by HPV-18, HPV-31, and HPV-52. Abnormal cytology was observed in 17.0% of participants, with LSIL and ASC-US being the most frequent abnormalities. HR-HPV positivity increased with cytological severity and reached 75.0% among women with HSIL. The findings demonstrate a significant association between oncogenic HPV infection and cervical abnormalities, supporting the integration of molecular HPV testing with cervical cytology in effective screening programmes.
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