Genotype distribution of human papillomavirus in anogenital warts in Guilan province, northern Iran

Background: Anogenital warts are the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease worldwide and are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 100 different types of HPV, of which certain types make the patient more susceptible to malignant neoplasms. This study aimed to determine the frequencies of specific types of HPV in anogenital warts. Methods: This study included 157 patients diagnosed with anogenital warts that underwent HPV DNA detection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with INNO-LiPA genotyping assay. Results: Of 157 patients with anogenital warts, 122 samples (77.7%) were positive for HPV, with some patients showing mixed HPV subtypes. HPV 6 (n = 99; 68.3%) and HPV 11 (n = 13; 8.9%) were the most prevalent types. 101 patients were male (64.3%). The mean age was 32.02 ± 10.06 years (range: 2 to 72 years). Most patients were infected with the low-risk types (80%); the high-risk HPV type 16 was significantly more common among women (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: This study showed the higher relative frequency of HPV6 and HPV11 in anogenital warts in Guilan, northern Iran. The frequency of genital HPV infection appears to be higher among men, but the frequency of high-risk types seems to be higher among women.