Association of HPV Genotypes with External Anogenital Warts: a Cross Sectional Study

Background: This study was undertaken to determine the distribution of type-specific human papillomavirus (HPV) in external anogenital warts, and the correlation with clinical presentation of warts and demographic data of patients.

Methods: Genital warts specimens were obtained from 129 men and 27 women attending a dermatology clinic, who had been advised surgical excision. The tissues were fixed and screened for HPV DNA by using real-time PCR. HPV genotype was determined by PCR-based sequencing.

Results: Sixteen different HPV genotypes were detected, comprising 4 oncogenic HPV genotypes (16, 18, 33, 38), 2 low-risk HPV types (LR) (6, 81), HPV 9, and other types associated with common warts (1a, 2, 4, 7, 27b, 27, 57b, 57c, 65). Oncogenic HPV types were found in 34.62% of patients, LR HPV types in 14.4%, HPV 9 in 0.64%, and common warts type in 50.6%. The prevalence of HPV infection with a single type was 88.4, 9.0% for two types, and 2.6% for three types. Multiple logistic regression model showed that age, gender, nationality, number of warts, size of each wart, and positive history of wart in sexual partner, were not predictors of HPV type. However, patients with anogenital warts of one to six months duration were three times more likely to have oncogenic HPV infection compared to those with less than one month.

Conclusions: This study shows that oncogenic HPV types are detected in around 35% of patients with genital warts, and are prevalent in warts of one to six months duration.