Population‐based study for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in young women in Japan: A multicenter study by the Japanese human papillomavirus disease education research survey group (J‐HERS)

A multi‐center study was conducted to examine 6,628 eligible Japanese women aged from 16 to 50 years for uterine cervical abnormality and HPV infection with a liquid based‐cytology test and a novel HPV test using the PCR‐SSOP‐Luminex ® method identifying 31 HPV genotypes. In 3,047 normal subjects, the overall prevalence across all HPV types was 25%, while that of the common 13 high‐risk (Common‐13HR) types (HPV‐16, 18. 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, and 68) was 17%, and that of the definite high‐risk (Definite‐HR) types (HPV‐16, 18. 31, 33, 35, 45, 52, and 58) was 12%. For Definite‐HR, HPV‐52, 16, and 58 were the most common, HPV‐31 was relatively common, and HPV‐18 was less common, while HPV‐33, 35, and 45 were rare. Seven Definite‐HR excluding HPV‐45 and seven Possible‐HR (HPV‐39, 51, 56, 66, 68, 70, and 82) HPV types were identified as a single type infection in patients with high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) or worse. The Common‐13HR types were detected in 89% of subjects with HSIL, whereas either Definite‐HR or Possible‐HR types were detected in 95% of HSIL. These 1420 HPV types appear to be involved with HSIL or worse in Japan. The prevalences of multiple‐type HPV infections were identified in roughly half of HPV‐positive subjects, and decreased significantly with age in normal population and abnormal cytology groups, although the prevalences of single‐type infections increased with age in the latter group. Most HPV infections are cleared for some years, while a certain HR‐HPV type persists to induce HSIL. J. Med. Virol. 88:324–335, 2016 . © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.