abstract
- Cervical cancer prevention is based on primary prevention with vaccines againstHuman Papillomavirus (HPV) and secondary prevention by screening with High‐Risk‐HPV (Hr‐HPV) detection. Since 2017, cervical cancer screening in women aged25−60 years has been performed in Portugal using Hr‐HPV detection, followed bycytology in Hr‐HPV‐positive cases. Herein we report the prevalence of Hr‐HPVgenotypes and cytological abnormalities among 462 401 women (mean age:43.73 ± 10.79; median age: 45; range: 24−66 years) that participated in the RegionalCervical Cancer Screening Program of the Northern Region of Portugal, performedbetween August 2016 and December 2021. Overall, we describe a prevalence rateof 12.50% for Hr‐HPV varying from 20.76% at age 25% to 8.32% at age 64. The fivemost common Hr‐HPV genotypes identified were HPV‐68 (16.09%), HPV‐31(15.30%), HPV‐51 (12.96%), HPV‐16 (11.06%), and HPV‐39 (11.01%). Theprevalence of Hr‐HPV included in the nonavalent vaccine (HPV‐9valent) was55.00% ranging from 47.78% to 59.18% across different age groups.