Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Background High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) persistence is central to cervical carcinogenesis, yet longitudinal data from Central Asia remain limited. This pilot longitudinal study assessed the distribution of hrHPV genotype groups and 3-year follow-up patterns among women in Chirchik, Uzbekistan. Methods From August 2021 to March 2022, 5,678 women were screened for hrHPV, of whom 547 (9.6%) tested positive. HPV genotyping was performed using the Xpert HPV assay. Single infections were defined as the detection of one genotype group, while multiple infections were defined as the detection of two or more groups. Clearance was defined as a negative HPV test at 3-year follow-up. Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, and Cox regression were used for analysis. Results Single infections predominated at baseline (87.0%, 476/547), while double, triple, and quadruple infections accounted for 11.2%, 1.5%, and 0.2% of cases, respectively. The most frequently detected genotype groups were HPV16 (29.8%), HPV31/33/35/52/58 (19.9%), and HPV39/56/66/68 (16.5%). At 3-year follow-up, 409 baseline hrHPV-positive women were re-evaluated, and 108 remained hrHPV-positive. Single infections remained predominant among persistent hrHPV-positive cases (94.4%, 102/108). HPV16 was the most frequently detected genotype group at follow-up (38.0%), followed by HPV39/56/66/68 (24.1%) and HPV31/33/35/52/58 (19.4%). Newly detected genotype groups were observed in 36 women, with HPV39/56/66/68 being the most common (52.8%). Clearance rates were numerically higher in selected HPV16 -containing co-infection groups than in single HPV16 infection, but no statistically significant difference was observed (log-rank p = 0.528). Conclusion This pilot study provides preliminary longitudinal evidence on the distribution of hrHPV genotype groups and 3-year follow-up patterns in Uzbekistan. Larger studies with repeated follow-up testing and genotype-level analysis are needed to confirm these findings.</p>