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Prevalence of cervical human papillomavirus in Mexico, 2010–2017: analysis of 2.7 million women

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Abstract

Purpose

Prevalence of cervical high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection varies greatly. Data on distribution of hrHPV infection constitute important evidence for decision-making when implementing HPV testing into cervical cancer screening programs. We estimate the prevalence of cervical hrHPV infection in a large sample of women in a middle-income country and explore variation by age, community marginalization and region in women using public cervical cancer screening services.

Methods

Records covering 2010–2017 from a registry of hrHPV test results (Hybrid Capture 2 and polymerase chain reaction) in 2,737,022 women 35–64 years were analyzed. In this observational study, 32 states were categorized into five geographical regions and classified by degree of marginalization. We stratified by test type and estimated crude and adjusted prevalence and rate ratios and used Poisson models and joinpoint regression analysis.

Results

Prevalence was higher in women 35–39 years, at 10.4% (95% CI 10.3–10.5) and women 60–64 years, at 10.1% (95% CI 10.0–10.3). Prevalence was higher in the southeast, at 10.5% (95% CI 10.4–10.6). Women living in less marginalized areas had a significantly higher prevalence, at 10.3% (95% CI 10.2–10.4) compared to those in highly marginalized areas, at 8.7% (95% CI 8.5–8.7). HPV16 infection was detected in 0.92% (2,293/23,854) of women and HPV18 infection was detected in 0.39% (978/23,854) of women.

Conclusion

Understanding the distribution of HPV prevalence has value as evidence for developing policy in order to improve cervical cancer screening strategies. These results will constitute evidence to allow decision makers to better choose where to focus those resources that they do have.

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Data availability

Anonymized data that are minimally required to replicate the outcomes of the study will be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author, and following approval by the participating sites.

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Funding

No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

    Erika Hurtado-Salgado & Eduardo Ortiz-Panozo

  2. Political, Population and Health Research Center, School of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

    Jorge Salmerón

  3. National Perinatology Institute, Health Secretariat, Mexico City, Mexico

    Rufino Luna-Gordillo

  4. Reproductive Health Division, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Mexico City, Mexico

    Betania Allen-Leigh

  5. School of Public Health of Mexico, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

    Nenetzen Saavedra-Lara

  6. Division of Cancer Epidemiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

    Eduardo L. Franco

  7. National Institute of Public Health, Av. Universidad 655, Col. Santa María Ahuacatitlán, 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

    Eduardo Lazcano-Ponce

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  1. Erika Hurtado-Salgado
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  2. Eduardo Ortiz-Panozo
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Correspondence to Eduardo Lazcano-Ponce.

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The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest. Only Dr. Franco reports grants and personal fees from Merck, outside the submitted work; In addition, Dr. Franco has a patent Methylation markers in cervical cancer pending.

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Hurtado-Salgado, E., Ortiz-Panozo, E., Salmerón, J. et al. Prevalence of cervical human papillomavirus in Mexico, 2010–2017: analysis of 2.7 million women. Cancer Causes Control 34, 123–132 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-022-01642-2

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