Background: There is currently limited information about human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype distribution
in women in the South Pacific region. This study’s objective was to determine HPV genotypes present in cervical cancer
(CC) and precancers (cervical intraepithelial lesion (CIN) 3) in Fiji. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis evaluated archival
CC and CIN3 biopsy samples from 296 women of Melanesian Fijian ethnicity (n = 182, 61.5%) and Indo-Fijian ethnicity
(n = 114, 38.5%). HPV genotypes were evaluated using the INNO-LiPA assay in archival samples from CC (n = 174) and
CIN3 (n = 122) among women in Fiji over a 5-year period from 2003 to 2007. Results: Overall, 99% of the specimens
tested were HPV DNA-positive for high-risk genotypes, with detection rates of 100%, 97.4% and 100% in CIN3,
squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenosquamous carcinoma biopsies, respectively. Genotypes 16 and 18 were the most
common (77%), followed by HPV 31 (4.3%). Genotype HPV 16 was the most common identified (59%) in CIN3
specimens, followed by HPV 31 (9%) and HPV 52 (6.6%). Multiple genotypes were detected in 12.5–33.3% of specimens,
depending on the pathology. Conclusion: These results indicated that the two most prevalent CC-associated HPV
genotypes in Fiji parallel those described in other regions worldwide, with genotype variations thereafter. These data
suggest that the currently available bivalent and quadrivalent HPV vaccines could potentially reduce cervical cancers in Fiji
by over 80% and reduce precancers by at least 60%.