Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a small, non-enveloped double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the family Papillomaviridae , with a strong tropism for epithelial tissues and well-established oncogenic potential. The epidemiological data of HPV are limited in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1350 clinical samples (primarily cervical swabs) were collected from individuals attending private diagnostic laboratories in Sulaymaniyah between November 2022 and June 2025. Samples were preserved in viral transport medium and stored at 2–8 °C prior to DNA extraction using a silica column-based nucleic acid purification method. HPV DNA detection and genotyping were performed using the Bosphore HPV Genotyping High Risk Kit v1 (Anatolia Geneworks, Istanbul, Turkey), a multiplex real-time PCR-based system. The results revealed an overall HPV prevalence of 19.2% (261/1350), with HPV-51 being the most common circulating genotype (32.15%), followed by HPV-16 (30.66%), HPV-31 (22.63%), HPV-52 (15.33%), HPV-66 (14.94%), HPV-35 (11.86%), HPV-45 (11.49%) and HPV-56 (11.11%). Multiple genotype infections were observed in more than half of the infected cases. These findings demonstrate a moderate prevalence of high-risk HPV in Sulaymaniyah, with an unusual predominance of HPV-51, suggesting a distinct regional genotype pattern. The absence of vaccination and high rate of co-infections highlight significant public health concerns, emphasising the urgent need for implementing HPV vaccination programs and strengthening screening strategies in the region.