Prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus among older women.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence, genotypes, and individual-level correlates of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) among women aged 57-85.


METHODS
Community-residing women (N=1,550), aged 57-85, were drawn from a nationally representative probability sample. In-home interviews and biomeasures, including a self-collected vaginal specimen, were obtained between 2005 and 2006. Specimens were analyzed for high-risk HPV DNA using Hybrid Capture 2; of 1,028 specimens provided, 1,010 were adequate for analysis. All samples testing positive were analyzed for HPV DNA by L1 consensus polymerase chain reaction followed by type-specific hybridization.


RESULTS
The overall population-based weighted estimate of high-risk HPV prevalence by Hybrid Capture 2 (Digene Corp.) was 6.0% (95% confidence interval 4.5- 7.9). Current marital and smoking status, frequency of sexual activity, history of cancer, and hysterectomy were associated with high-risk HPV positivity. Among high-risk HPV-positive women, 63% had multiple type infections. Human papillomavirus-16 or -18 was present in 17.4% of all high-risk HPV-positive women. The most common high-risk genotypes among high-risk HPV-positive women were HPV-61 (19.1%), -31 (13.1%), -52 (12.9%), -58 (12.5%), -83 (12.3%), -66 (12.0%), -51 (11.7%), -45 (11.2%), -56 (10.3%), -53 (10.2%), -16 (9.7%), and -62 (9.2%). Being married and having an intact uterus were independently associated with lower prevalence of high-risk HPV. Among unmarried women, current sexual activity and smoking were independently and positively associated with high-risk HPV infection.


CONCLUSIONS
In this nationally representative population, nearly 1 in 16 women aged 57-85 was found to have high-risk HPV, and prevalence was stable across older age groups.


METHODS
II.
Lindau
Stacy Tessler
ST
University of Chicago Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. slindau@uchicago.edu
Drum
Melinda L
ML
Gaumer
Elyzabeth
E
Surawska
Hanna
H
Jordan
Jeanne A
JA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence