Title: Prevalence and genotype screening of human papillomavirus among women attending a
private hospital in Northern Cyprus: an 11-year retrospective study
Version: 1 Date: 12 Apr 2023
Reviewer's report:
In the article entitled: "Prevalence and genotype screening of human papillomavirus among
women attending a private hospital in Northern Cyprus: an 11-year retrospective study" authors:
Buket Baddal, Makbule Naz Oktay, Aysegul Bostanci, Mufit Cemal Yenen provided single-
center data on 11-year prevalence of HPV-16, HPV-18 and other high-risk HPV types in
Northern Cyprus and put these results in the context of cervical cytological diagnosis of women.
Here are some suggestions for authors to improve the content of their manuscript:
INTRODUCTION
It would be desirable in the Introduction section to describe the cervical screening program in
place in Northern Cyprus.
AIMS
When it is written "genotype distribution among women" the reader expects the study to be
based on a genotyping test, giving insights into the broad spectrum of HPV types circulating in
a given area, not limited to HPV-16 and HPV-18 alone. For this reason, I advise changing the
terminology used in such parts and focusing on these two types when talking about HPV typing.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
- The authors stated in the Population Study section that they also had pathological diagnoses
of the cervix available, but only cytology is mentioned in the results. It would be preferable to
use them as confirmatory results.
- The methodology is written very concisely and it would be fine if the authors briefly elaborated
on cytological diagnostics, DNA extraction and both real-time HPV PCR tests. I suggest
using the rtPCR instead of RT-qPCR, because the second abbreviation rather means reverse
transcription- quantitative PCR, which is not performed here.
- The kit manufactured by Sacace  seems to be quantitative and it should be clarified that
qualitative data are taken into account in the results.
RESULTS
- It would be desirable if the authors showed the distribution of HPV in women with normal
cytology as well, because they reported that 34.0% (n=188) were positive for HR-HPV.
- The authors can improve the paper by annual data analysis and comparison of cytology results
combined with HR-HPV status and pathology, which they may have collected.
FIGURE 1
- Fig. 1 could be enriched with additional data, for example, the authors could provide an annual
overview of the circulation of HPV-16, HPV-18 and OHR-HPV.
-
FIGURE 2
- Consider reformulating the figure title to: Distribution of HPV-16, HPV-18 and OHR-HPV
types according to the age of tested persons, during 2011-2022.
TABLE 1
- No legend provided- the description of the abbreviations used is missing.
- List other possible diagnoses that would be included in the "Unspecified dysplasia" category.
Mark it as * in the table and give an explanation in the legend.
- Consider reformulating the table title to: Distribution of HPV-16, HPV-18 and OHR-HPV
types according to the severity of cervical lesions in women with positive cytology, during
2011-2022.
- Add right column for "Total" category.
DISCUSION
The discussion should be corrected according to the proposed changes.