Objective: To estimate the prevalence and seroprevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) in Korean girls and women.
Methods: We estimated the seroprevalence of HPV subtypes 16 and 18 among 1,094 girls and women aged 9-59 years and the prevalence of genital high-risk HPV among 902 women aged 20-59 years who visited our institution for a medical checkup. Genital high-risk HPV DNA was measured using liquid hybridization and polymerase chain reaction assays. Serum antibodies to HPV subtypes 16 and 18 were measured using a multiplexed competitive luminex technique.
Results: The prevalence of genital high-risk HPV was 12.6% among Korean women aged 20-59 years. It reached a peak of 23.2% at 20-29 years of age, decreasing thereafter but increasing again to 12.4% at 50-59 years of age. Human papillomavirus 56 was the most common subtype followed by HPV 18, HPV 52, and HPV 16. The seroprevalence of HPV subtypes 16 and 18 was 8.7% among Korean girls and women aged 9-59 years. It reached its highest peak of 13.4% at 25-29 years of age and decreased thereafter. It then reached a second peak of 10.9% at 40-49 years of age and plateaued thereafter. The seroprevalences of HPV subtypes 16 and 18 were 7.4% and 2.7%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, the prevalence and seroprevalence of high-risk HPV were correlated only with the number of lifetime sexual partners.
Conclusion: High-risk HPV infection is common among Korean women. Our epidemiological data on high-risk HPV infection will help to assess vaccine policy and to establish a baseline for estimating vaccine efficacy.
Level of evidence: III.