title: Human papilloma virus (HPV) genotypes prevalence in a region of South Italy (Apulia).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since human papillomavirus (HPV) is the central casual factor in cervical cancer, understanding the epidemiology and geographical area distribution of the most prevalent HPV genotypes constitutes an important step towards development of strategies of prevention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HPV infection and to determine HPV types distribution among 822 HPV positive women and some sexual male partners in Apulia (Italy).
  
  
  METHODS
  HPV DNA detection and genotyping was performed by nested-PCR for the L1 region and reverse line blot hybridization allowing the specific detection of 24 HPV genotyping both high risk (HR) and low risk (LR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most prevalent HPV genotypes were HPV 16 (35%), HPV 31 (16%) HPV 6 (9%), HPV 58 and 66 (7%), followed by HPV 33 (6%), HPV 18 and 56 (4%), HPV 70 and 45 (3%), HPV 53 and 11 (2%). Currently 1.5% of tested specimens remained unclassified. Multiple infections with at last two different high- risk HPV genotypes were observed in 10% of specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This finding adds knowledge to HPV epidemiological investigation, and addresses further studies aimed to consider public health for identifying groups at risk for cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche di Base, Neuroscienze e Organi di Senso, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Franca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Coscia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche di Base, Neuroscienze e Organi di Senso, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monno
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche di Base, Neuroscienze e Organi di Senso, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ballini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche di Base, Neuroscienze e Organi di Senso, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mirgaldi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Interdisciplinare di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dipalma
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Interdisciplinare di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pettini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche di Base, Neuroscienze e Organi di Senso, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cristallo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Interdisciplinare di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Inchingolo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Oncologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche di Base, Neuroscienze e Organi di Senso, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Danila
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Vito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral