A Study on the Detection of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Strains Among Women Aged 30 and Above in Dalanzadgad, Umnugovi Province

Abstract

Background: In Mongolia, 7,244 new cancer cases were registered in 2023, of which 5.9% (425 cases) were cervical cancer. The prevalence of cervical cancer is 14.5 per 10,000 populations. In Ömnögovi province, 597 cancer cases were recorded in 2023, and 18.5% of them were cervical cancer. The cervical cancer screening coverage in Ömnögovi province was 45.6% in 2023. Aim: To identify the types of human papillomavirus (HPV) among women aged 30 years and above in Dalanzadgad soum. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. We included 100 women aged 30 years and above in Dalanzadgad soum. HPV genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) among women diagnosed with cervical erosion. A 44-item questionnaire was also administered to assess the risk factors for cervical cancer. Results: HPV was detected in 41% of participants, while 59% tested negative. Among the participants, 25 had one genotype, 13 had two genotypes, and 3 had three genotypes. Among the 41 women who tested positive, 49% had high-risk genotypes. A total of 20 HPV genotypes were identified, including 16 high-risk and 4 low-risk types. Of the HPV-positive women, 65.9% were married, and 58.5% had only one lifetime sexual partner. In addition, 78% of participants reported never having undergone cervical cytology screening prior to this study. Conclusion: In Dalanzadgad soum, 2 out of every 5 women are at risk of HPV infection, and among those infected, 1 out of 2 carry a high-risk HPV genotype.