Identification of human papillomavirus as a preventive strategy for cervical cancer in asymptomatic women in the Peruvian Andes.

Objective: To detect the most prevalent human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in cervical smear samples of asymptomatic Peruvian women by analyzing the correlation between Papanicolaou (PAP)-stained cervical tests and PCR-sequencing.

Methods: A total of 254 women attending routine gynecological examinations were included in this study. The samples were analyzed by PAP technique and examined under a microscope by a pathologist and classified by the Bethesda system.