AIM:　to　study　the　prevalence　of　human　papillomavirus　(HPV)　in　esophageal　carcinoma　in　Tangshan,　China,　a　high-incidence　area.　METHODS:　Formalin-fixed,　paraffin-embedded　tissue　specimens　from　198　patients　who　were　pathologically　diagnosed　with　esophageal　squamous　cell　carcinoma　from　2011　to　2013　were　obtained　from　a　pathology　department　in　Tangshan.　DNA　was　extracted　from　all　198　specimens　to　detect　HPV　by　polymerase　chain　reaction　(PCR).　beta-globin　PCR　was　performed　to　check　the　quality　of　the　DNA　extraction　procedure.　PCR　was　performed　to　detect　a　wide　range　of　HPV　types,　and　type-specific　PCR　was　performed　to　detect　HPV　types　16　and　18.　Negative　and　positive　controls　were　used　for　HPV　16　and　18　detection.　RESULTS:　The　DNA　extraction　method　in　this　study　appeared　to　be　more　effective　than　other　previously　reported　methods.　After　DNA　extraction,　more　than　98%　of　the　tissue　specimens　had　an　acceptable　result　in　the　DNA　qualification　test　(beta-globin　PCR).　The　overall　prevalence　of　HPV　in　tumor　tissues　by　GP6+/GP5+　PCR　was　79.79%,　and　the　prevalence　of　HPV　types　16　and　18　was　40.40%　and　47.47%,　respectively.　PCR　demonstrated　the　presence　of　HPV,　and　direct　sequencing　confirmed　the　HPV　genotypes.　All　HPV-positive　PCR　products　were　checked　by　DNA　sequence　analysis　using　DNAman　and　compared　with　the　known　HPV　sequences　listed　in　the　Basic　Local　Alignment　Search　Tool　database　to　evaluate　the　HPV　types.　This　analysis　confirmed　the　presence　of　HPV　types　16　and　18.　CONCLUSION:　DNA　of　high-risk　HPV　types　16　and　18　is　present　in　esophageal　tumors,　implicating　HPV　as　a　possible　etiologic　factor　for　esophageal　squamous　cell　carcinoma.