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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Mar 4.
Published in final edited form as: Prev Med. 2021 Mar 4;144:106438. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106438

Figure 3. Global HPV prevalence patterns.

Figure 3.

Figure 3.

Figure 3.

There are at least three distinct HPV natural history patterns that are observed globally, likely linked to different levels of immunologic control of HPV infections: a) immunocompetent populations are characterized by lower HPV prevalence in mid-adult women between the ages of 30 and 49 years, when screening is optimal; this pattern is characteristic of the Americas, Europe, and parts of Asia and the Middle East/Northern Africa; b) partially immunodeficient populations that do not have a high burden of HIV but appear to have reduced cell-mediated immunity (for instance, due to chronic parasitoses) show higher HPV prevalence at optimal screening ages; this pattern is characteristic particularly in sub-Saharan Africa; and c) HIV-infected women, with pronounced immunodeficiency in controlling HPV infections, leading to continuous high prevalence across screening ages. The graphs display the prevalence of any hrHPV (green lines) and HPV16/18 (red lines).