Our biologists Mathilde Roussel (Cerba Laboratory) and Stéphanie Haim-Boukobza (Cerba HealthCare) are contributing to a major national study published in Eurosurveillance (2025).
Methods
The study analyzes 362,963 HPV tests performed between 2020 and 2023 through a large network of medical biology laboratories.
Advanced statistical modeling makes it possible to map the prevalence of HPV16/18 infections and 12 other oncogenic genotypes at the postal code level.
Key Results
3.7% of tests are positive for HPV16/18 and 9.2% for other genotypes.
Rates are higher in opportunistic screening (3.8% and 9.4%) than in organized screening (2.9% and 6.9%).
- A geographical heterogeneity is observed, with a northwest/southeast gradient and “hotspots” along the Italian, Spanish, and Swiss borders.
Public Health Implications
Opportunistic screening overestimates the true prevalence of high-risk HPV.
Organized screening provides a more representative picture, which is key to tailoring prevention, screening, and vaccination strategies.
Reference : Supplisson O. et al., Eurosurveillance 2025
