Mathias Dzobo

The Burden of HPV35 in African Cervical Pathologies: Prevalence, Contributing Factors, and Vaccine Prospects

ABSTRACT Human papillomavirus (HPV35) is globally associated with only 2% of invasive cervical cancers (ICC) but demonstrates a disproportionately higher prevalence in sub‐Saharan Africa, reaching up to 10% in previous reports. In this review, we provide updated data from multiple African countries, revealing high HPV35 prevalence rates in women with precancerous and ICC lesions. Among women with ICC, the highest prevalence of HPV35 was observed in Mozambique (30% and 19%), Kenya (26% and 22%), South Africa (17%), Burkina Faso (13.7%), Zimbabwe (11%), and Tanzania (11.2%). Similarly, in women with precancerous lesions (LSIL/HSIL/CIN1‐3), the highest rates were recorded in Tanzania (26%) and Botswana (23% and 20%). These findings highlight a significant and underappreciated burden of HPV35‐associated cervical disease in African populations, particularly among women with precancerous and invasive lesions. The findings call for an urgent re‐evaluation of current HPV vaccination strategies to consider the inclusion of HPV35, which could profoundly enhance the effectiveness of cervical cancer prevention programs in sub‐Saharan Africa.

Human papillomavirus self-sampling for cervical cancer screening among women in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol

Introduction Evidence shows that women in sub-Saharan Africa have high rates of cervical cancer (CC) mortality compared with women in high-income countries. Effective screening programmes have significantly reduced the burden of CC in high-income countries. Self-sampling for human papillomavirus testing (HPVSS) has been reported to increase the participation and engagement of women in CC screening. Before HPVSS can be introduced for CC screening there is a need to establish its acceptability among end-users to ensure the increase in CC screening rates. Here, we outline a protocol for a scoping review aimed at mapping literature on the use and acceptability of HPVSS for screening CC in sub-Saharan Africa to reveal gaps to guide future research and practice. Method The scoping review protocol was developed according to Arksey and O’Malley and Levac et al , and guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. We will search Scopus, PubMed, Medline Ovid, Cochrane and Web of Science databases for evidence on the use and acceptability of HPVSS published between January 2011 and July 2021. We will also search grey literature in the form of dissertations/theses, conference proceedings, websites of international organisations such as the WHO, and relevant government reports reporting evidence on HPVSS programmes for screening CC among women in sub-Saharan Africa. Ethics and dissemination No ethical approval is needed for the study as it will not include animals or human participants. The results of the proposed scoping review will be disseminated electronically in peer-reviewed journals, in print and through conference presentations.