A population-based five-year follow-up study of cervical human papillomavirus infection.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term tendency for cervical human papillomavirus infections to persist in the general population.


METHODS
From 500 women who participated in a 1991 population-based survey, 90 healthy women with normal results of cytologic examination (women with human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid detected and age-matched control women without human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid detected) were interviewed and examined 5 years later colposcopically, cytologically, and with human papillomavirus serologic testing and human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid testing by polymerase chain reaction with 2 different consensus primer pairs (MY09 and MY11 and GP5(+) and GP6(+)), type-specific polymerase chain reaction, and deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing.


RESULTS
The 5-year human papillomavirus clearance rate was 92%. Only human papillomavirus type 16 infections persisted. Colposcopic impression of grade 2 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia was associated with persistent human papillomavirus 16 infection (P <.03). Human papillomavirus detection was associated with sexual history. Human papillomavirus type was the only determinant of human papillomavirus persistence.


CONCLUSIONS
The high clearance rates in a population-based setting with a 5-year follow-up period imply that inclusion of human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid testing in population-based cervical screening programs should target persistent infection.
Elfgren
K
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Huddinge University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden.
Kalantari
M
M
Moberger
B
B
Hagmar
B
B
Dillner
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003127:Colposcopy; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral