LAUSR

Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection rates in women vary regionally. This study analyzed HPV infection in women of different age groups in Hefei, China, performed follow-up on positive cases, and discussed infection prognoses. Methods Samples (7,222) of exfoliated cervical cells were collected in Hefei and tested with an HPV assay kit against 27 HPV genotypes. Statistical software was used to analyze the data. Results The total positive rate of infection was 17.13% (1,068 women), and the 51–60-year age group had the highest HPV infection rate (19.82%). There were statistically significant differences between rates in the 21–30 and 31–40 (P = 0.002), 21–30 and 41–50 (P = 0.0003), 21–30 and 51–60 (P = 0.00003), and 51–60 and >60 age groups (P = 0.046). High-risk infection (15.67%) and single infection (13.01%) were the main types of HPV infection. The dominant genotypes of high-risk infection were HPV 52 (2.42%), HPV 16 (2.01%), HPV 53 (1.43%), HPV 58 (1.32%) and HPV 66 (1.01%). We conducted follow-up on cases in 69 of 94 women who had a history of 1–4 years of positive infection, and in 18 (seven treated, 11 untreated) patients, infection status turned negative (26.09%). Seventeen of the fifty-one women whose infections did not turn negative received treatment. Persistent infection was predominantly observed in high-risk genotypes (56 of 69). Conclusions The results recommend that women in Hefei improve health awareness and receive a 9-valent vaccine. Additionally, women with persistent infections should consult a gynecologist to prevent cervical lesions.