Seroprevalence and genital DNA prevalence of HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in a cohort of young Norwegian women: study design and cohort characteristics.
BACKGROUND
Long-term efficacy evaluations of a quadrivalent HPV type 6/11/16/18 vaccine are ongoing in the Nordic region. As there are limited epidemiological data on HPV infection in Norway, we determined prevalence and identified sociobehavioural correlates of HPV 6/11/16/18 infection in young Norwegian women.


METHODS
Norwegian (n=898) women, aged 1624 years, were enrolled in a 4-year prospective study. At enrolment and at 6-month intervals thereafter, an interview on behavioural data and a gynaecological examination were undertaken. Genital samples were tested for the L1,E6 and E7 genes of HPV-6/11/16/18, and serum anti-HPV-6/11/16/18 levels were measured using a competitive Luminex immunoassay (cLIA). Results. DNA and seroprevalence of HPV 6, 11, 16 or 18 ranged from 0.9 to 16.3% and 2.6 to 16.2%,respectively; and most infected women (approximately 75%) were infected with only 1 type. Of the HPV DNA positive cases, 54.3, 50.0,47.3 and 38.5% had detectable HPV 6, 11, 16 or 18 antibodies, respectively. More than 50% of the high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) cases were HPV-16 or HPV-18 DNA positive. Lifetime number of partners was the strongest and only predictor of sero- and DNA-positivity across the 4 HPV types.


CONCLUSIONS
Given the high prevalence of HPV infection among young women with mostly single-type infection, and the fact that type-specific HPV screening is not recommended prior to the administration of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine, our data suggest the importance of widespread,rather than targeted, immunisation.
Skjeldestad
Finn Egil
FE
1Department of Epidemiology, SINTEF Health Research, N-7465 Trondheim, Norway. finnes@sintef.no
Mehta
Vinay
V
Sings
Heather L
HL
Øvreness
Torbjørn
T
Turpin
Jennifer
J
Su
Ling
L
Boerckel
Patricia
P
Roberts
Christine
C
Bryan
Janine
J
Jansen
Kathrin U
KU
Esser
Mark T
MT
Liaw
Kai-Li
KL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral