Changes in the Epidemiology of High-Risk HPV Genital Tract Infections Among Women in Shanghai: A Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Analysis (2013–2024)

Abstract

High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV), primarily transmitted through sexual contact, is a key etiological factor in cervical and other related malignant tumors, as well as their precancerous lesions. This retrospective study was conducted on clinical data from 469 775 women who underwent genital tract hrHPV testing between 2013 and early 2024. The weighted hrHPV positivity rate declined from a peak of 24.86% in 2013 to 12.25% during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022) but rebounded to 17.54% in 2023 and 19.47% by early 2024 in the post-pandemic period. The three most commonly detected genotypes were hrHPV52 (4.52%), hrHPV58 (3.11%), and hrHPV16 (2.72%). Based on the overall data analysis, hrHPV positivity rates exceeded 20% in both younger (≤ 25 years) and older (≥ 50 years) age groups, while the middle-aged group (26–50 years) accounted for approximately 70% of cases. Notably, the proportion of hrHPV-positive cases exhibited a significant increasing trend among women aged ≥ 66 years throughout the study period. These findings reveal a post-pandemic rebound of hrHPV infections, highlighting the urgent need for sustained surveillance and age-specific prevention strategies to mitigate infection risk and reduce the burden of associated diseases.