Seroprevalence and Genetic Diversity of Human Papillomavirus Among Women Attending Cervical Cancer Screening in Kaduna State

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the necessary cause of cervical cancer, which remains the second most common cancer among Nigerian women. Understanding local HPV genotype diversity is critical to optimizing vaccination strategies and screening protocols. This cross-sectional molecular study determined the seroprevalence and genetic diversity of HPV among women attending cervical cancer screening at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital and General Hospital Kaduna, Kaduna State, in the North West geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Cervical swab samples from 250 women aged 25 to 65 years were analyzed. HPV DNA was detected and genotyped by real-time PCR using the Anyplex II HPV28 detection system. Colposcopy and VIA screening results were recorded concurrently. The overall HPV prevalence was 26.8 percent. High-risk HPV (hrHPV) was detected in 83.6 percent of HPV-positive women. HPV-16 and HPV-18 were the most prevalent genotypes at 28.4 and 16.4 percent respectively, but HPV-31, HPV-52, and HPV-58 were also significantly represented, together accounting for 27.6 percent of hrHPV infections. Co-infection with multiple HPV genotypes was detected in 22.4 percent of positive cases. HPV positivity was significantly associated with younger age of first intercourse, multiple sexual partners, and nulliparity. These findings support the use of nonavalent HPV vaccines covering non-16/18 genotypes for optimal population-level protection in Kaduna State. Keywords: HPV, cervical cancer, genotype diversity, Kaduna, cervical screening.