PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Khalid H. Sait
AU  - Nisreen M. Anfinan
AU  - Hesham K. Sait
AU  - Hussain A. Basalamah
TI  - Human papillomavirus prevalence and dynamics
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2024.45.3.20230824
DP  - 2024 Mar 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 252--260
VI  - 45
IP  - 3
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/45/3/252.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/45/3/252.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2024 Mar 01; 45
AB  - Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and dynamics of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, over a 5-year period, among Saudi women.Methods: A 2-phase, population-based study combining cross-sectional and cohort designs was carried out with 5360 ever-married women aged 30–65 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between 2013 and 2018. Participants were enrolled in a designated screening program and screened using the hybrid capture 2 HPV test. Women testing positive for HPV were followed up after one year to estimate the HPV clearance rate, while those testing negative had a follow-up after 5 years to assess new HPV infections. Factors associated with HPV positivity and clearance, including sociodemographic and clinical aspects, were analyzed.Results: Participant’s mean age was 44.3 and the average marriage duration was 22.6 years. The initial HPV prevalence was 4.7%. After one year, the HPV clearance rate among initially positive women was 84.3%. The rate of new HPV infections among initially negative women after 5 years was 0.2%, resulting in a cumulative HPV prevalence of 5% over the study period. The incidence rate was estimated at 47 per 100,000 person-years. Parity was the only independent factor inversely associated with HPV positivity, with an odds ratio of 0.93 (95% confidence interval: 0.8 – 0.99).Conclusion: The prevalence of HPV in Saudi women was relatively low, suggesting a low transmission rate of HPV. This finding indicates the need for continuous monitoring and tailored prevention strategies.