Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections among West African populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide. Several studies have examined HPV prevalence in West Africa, but comprehensive regional estimates remain unavailable. This study estimates the overall prevalence and genotype distribution of HPV in West African populations.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search in Medline, Embase, Global Health, Web of Science, and Africa Index Medicus for articles published up to March 5, 2024. We estimated pooled HPV prevalence using a random-effects model. The Hoy et al. tool assessed the risk of bias, while the I² test measured between-study heterogeneity. Egger's regression test evaluated publication bias. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023463042).

RESULTS

The analysis included 145 studies from 12 West African countries, comprising 71,324 participants. The pooled prevalence of HPV was 42.3% (95% CI: 38.5-46.1%), with significant heterogeneity (I² = 99.0%; P < 0.001). HPV prevalence varied across population subgroups, with a significantly higher pooled prevalence of 81.4% (95% CI: 68.2-91.8%) among women with cervical cancer. Egger's test did not indicate significant publication bias (P > 0.05). Among high-risk HPV genotypes, HPV-16 (19.9%, 95% CI: 15.9-24.1%) and HPV-82 (18.9%, 95% CI: 7.5-33.7%) were the most prevalent. Among low-risk genotypes, HPV-81 was the most common, with a prevalence of 12.9% (95% CI: 7.1-20.0%).

CONCLUSION

Human papillomavirus prevalence is high in West Africa, with diverse genotypes, including several with oncogenic potential. Targeted health interventions, including vaccination programs and enhanced screening efforts, are recommended to reduce HPV burden in this region.