Human papillomavirus genotype distribution among Cameroonian women with invasive cervical cancer: a retrospective study.
OBJECTIVE
We determined the human papillomavirus (HPV) types present in invasive cervical cancer (ICC) of women in Cameroon in order to estimate the potential efficacies of HPV prophylactic vaccines.


METHODS
This is a retrospective study using 181 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cervical tissue samples of ICC collected from the Institute of Pathology, Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon. HPV was detected by PCR using modified GP5+/GP6+ (MGP) primers. Genotyping was performed by reverse-blot hybridisation, which allowed the detection of 9 of the 14 high-risk HPV types.


RESULTS
Of the 181 samples, 91.7% were squamous cell carcinomas and 6.6% were adenocarcinomas. Counting all the single and multiple infections, the three most common high-risk types in descending order were HPV16 (88%), HPV45 (32%) and HPV18 (14.8%). 54.9% of cases were infected with a single HPV type and 45.1% had two or more HPV infections.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequencies of HPV16, HPV45 and multiple infections are all higher than previously reported. These observations have significant implications on the consideration of vaccination strategies because each vaccine has different duration and efficacies in cross-protection of different HPV types. The method used proved to be sensitive and cost-efficient for retrospective studies where fresh materials are not available.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
David
D
Pirek
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Patrick
P
Petignat
Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Geneva, Switzerland.
Pierre
P
Vassilakos
Department of Clinical Pathology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Jolanta
J
Gourmaud
Department of Clinical Pathology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Jean-Claude
JC
Pache
Department of Clinical Pathology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Laura
L
Rubbia-Brandt
Department of Clinical Pathology, Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Zacharie
Z
Sando
Department of Clinical Pathology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Thomas Alexander
TA
McKee
Department of Clinical Pathology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Liza
L
Ho
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines
AFRICA; CERVICAL NEOPLASIA; DNA AMPLIFICATION; HPV; INFECTION