Cross-sectional study of HPV-16 infection in a population-based subsample of Hispanic adults.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of seropositivity to human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 in a subsample of adults who participated in the parent study Epidemiology of Hepatitis C in the adult population of Puerto Rico (PR).


METHODS
The parent study was a population-based household survey aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of hepatitis C and other viral infections (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, HIV, and herpes simplex type 2) in PR (n=1654) between 2005 and 2008.


METHODS
A subsample of the last 450 consecutive adults aged 21-64 years, recruited between February 2007 and January 2008, who participated in the parent study and agreed to participate in HPV testing.


METHODS
The samples were tested by ELISA for HPV-16 viral-like particle-specific immunoglobulin G. Information on sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle characteristics was collected. Logistic regression modelling was used to estimate the prevalence odds ratio (POR) to assess factors associated to HPV-16 seropositivity.


RESULTS
Prevalence of seropositivity to HPV-16 was 11.3%. Seroprevalence was higher in women (15.8%) than men (5.6%; p=0.001). After adjusting for age and sex, ever smokers (POR 2.06, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.92) and participants with at least five lifetime sexual partners (POR 2.91, 95% CI 1.24 to 6.81) were more likely to be HPV-16 seropositive.


CONCLUSIONS
HPV-16 seropositivity is similar to that reported in the USA (10.4%) for NHANES 2003-2004 participants, although different assays were used in these studies. While future studies should evaluate HPV seroprevalence using a larger population-based sample, our results highlight the need to further understand the burden of HPV infection and HPV-related malignancies in PR, population with a low vaccine uptake.
Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
A P
AP
Ortiz
E R
ER
Unger
C
C
Muñoz
G
G
Panicker
G
G
Tortolero-Luna
M
M
Soto-Salgado
Y
Y
Otero
E
E
Suárez
C M
CM
Pérez
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000821:virology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000821:virology
EPIDEMIOLOGY