Media University of Babylon | PhD Dissertation at the College of Medicine – University of Babylon on Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Media University of Babylon - Faculty of Medicine

PhD Dissertation at the College of Medicine – University of Babylon on Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

By : Zaynab Kadhim Ameen Awadh

Date : 25/5/2025 04:56:09 AM

PhD Dissertation at the College of Medicine – University of Babylon on Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
The Department of Microbiology at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, held the defense of the doctoral dissertation by student Mohammed Mohsen Mohammed Hamza, titled:
“An Immunogenetic Study of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Genotypes Across Age Groups in Women in Babylon Province.”
The dissertation was supervised by Prof. Dr. Zaitoon Abdul Redha Al-Khafaji and Prof. Dr. Nadia Mudhhir Al-Hilli.
The defense session was attended by the Dean of the College, Prof. Dr. Muhannad Abbas Al-Shallah, the Director of the Babylon Center for Internal Medicine, Prof. Dr. Mushtaq Abdul Azim Watout, the Administrative Assistant Dean Prof. Dr. Kazem Jawad Al-Hamdani, the Head of Department Prof. Dr. Jawad Kazem Turad Al-Khafaji, the Director of the Continuing Medical Education Unit Prof. Dr. Elham Abbas Banyan, as well as a number of faculty members, academics, and postgraduate students.
During his defense, the researcher explained that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection and plays a major role in the development of cervical cancer, which is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. Over 200 genotypes of HPV have been identified, with high-risk types such as HPV16 and HPV18 accounting for the vast majority of cervical cancer cases.
This study investigated the molecular and immunological characteristics of high-risk HPV infections among women in Al-Hilla, Babylon Province, Iraq. It focused on the genetic classification of HPV types and the analysis of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) levels as a potential immune biomarker.
The results showed a significant correlation between MIF levels and age among women infected with HPV (correlation coefficient rp = 0.442, p-value = 0.039), indicating that the immune response may intensify with age. Elevated MIF expression may contribute to the persistence of HPV infection, promote chronic inflammation, facilitate immune evasion, and help create a cellular environment conducive to tumor development.
These findings are consistent with global research that highlights the key role of MIF in regulating immune responses associated with HPV infection and disease progression.
In conclusion, the study highlights the high prevalence of HPV16 among women in Al-Hilla, as well as a close genetic relationship between local isolates and international strains. It also emphasizes the potential use of MIF as an immunological biomarker for monitoring HPV infection