biostudies-literatureNyide BPoliomyelitis Research Foundation (PRFPoliomyelitis Research Foundation (PRF)National Research Foundation (NRF), Thuthuka11056https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12652174biostudies-literatureUnknown26(22)High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) types exhibit an uneven global distribution, with types 35, 51, 56, and 59 being more prevalent in Africa yet not covered by current L1-based vaccines. The genetic diversity of HR-HPV oncoproteins in Africa remains poorly characterized, despite their potential as alternative vaccine targets. This study investigates the genetic diversity of HR-HPV types 16, 18, 35, 51, 56, and 59 to inform vaccine development. We analyzed 14,332 sequences from the NCBI Virus database and 222 HPV reference sequences from the Papillomavirus Episteme (PaVE) database using phylogenetic analysis and variant identification. HPV16 and HPV35 exhibited close evolutionary relatedness, which may indicate shared traits relevant to vaccine design, although functional implications International journal of molecular sciencesGenetic Diversity of Selected High-Risk HPV Types Prevalent in Africa and Not Covered by Current Vaccines: A Pooled Sequence Data Analysis.PMC12652174TTK23043010029124/6424/81Banks LThomas MNyide BMatume NDMkhize PPfalseGenetic Diversity of Selected High-Risk HPV Types Prevalent in Africa and Not Covered by Current Vaccines: A Pooled Sequence Data Analysis.High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) types exhibit an uneven global distribution, with types 35, 51, 56, and 59 being more prevalent in Africa yet not covered by current L1-based vaccines. The genetic diversity of HR-HPV oncoproteins in Africa remains poorly characterized, despite their potential as alternative vaccine targets. This study investigates the genetic diversity of HR-HPV types 16, 18, 35, 51, 56, and 59 to inform vaccine development. We analyzed 14,332 sequences from the NCBI Virus database and 222 HPV reference sequences from the Papillomavirus Episteme (PaVE) database using phylogenetic analysis and variant identification. HPV16 and HPV35 exhibited close evolutionary relatedness, which may indicate shared traits relevant to vaccine design, although functional implications 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Nov2026-05-20T03:20:03.625Z2026-05-20T03:09:05.966ZS-EPMC126521744130354210.3390/ijms262211056