HPV prevalence and genotype distribution among Vietnamese cervical cancer patients in the northern region of Vietnam, from 2018 – 2020

Background/Purpose HPV infection is the primary cause of cervical cancer, and genotype distribution varies according to geographical location and carcinogenicity. Therefore, identifying HPV genotype and its association with cervical cancer features is critical for screening, diagnosis, and therapy. Methods Data from Vietnamese women with HPV-positive cervical cancer were collected from the northern region. The HPV genotype was identified using the Cobas®®4800 HPV system, whereas the nucleotide sequences of the E6, E7, and L1 genes were used to identify lineages and sublineages using DNASTAR, Bioedit, ATGC 7.2, and MEGA 11.0.10 softwares. Results Of the 180 patients infected with HPV, 82.8% revealed single infections, and 17.2% showed multiple infections. HPV16 (64.4%), HPV18 (28.9%), and other HPVs (6.7%) were the most prevalent HPV genotypes. HPV16 lineages included European (sublineage A1 (11.2%), A2 (1.72%), and A3 (25.86%); Asian (sublineage A4 (53.85%); African-American (sublineage D1 (5.17%); and Asian-American (sublineage D3 (2.59%). The HPV18 lineage includes Asian-Ameridian (sublineages A1 (100%)). HPV18 revealed a higher rate of cervical cancer, cervicitis, warts, and ulcers than HPV16 and other high-risk genotypes in the 35–54–year–old group, but did not show a difference in cancer stages. Conclusions HPV16 and HPV18 genotypes are common in cervical cancer in northern Vietnam, with European, Asian, and Asian–Amerindian lineages predominating. HPV18 causes cervical cancer at a higher rate than other genotypes in the 35–54–year–old age group; thus, early identification of the genotype is critical for more successful therapy.