title: Prevalence of HPV infection among clinically healthy Italian males and genotype concordance between stable sexual partners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. However little is known about its prevalence in the male population and concordance with female partners.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This cross-sectional study aimed to: (a) investigate HPV prevalence and genotype distribution among a series of stable male sexual partners of CIN/HPV positive women and (b) assess HPV infection and type-specific concordance between partners.
  
  
  METHODS
  378 stable and monogamous male partners of CIN/HPV positive women were selected. Of these, 238 cases were enrolled at the same time as their female partner. All the subjects were tested by the Linear Array HPV genotyping assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 153/378 men (40.5%) and 122/238 women (51.3%) were positive for at least one of the 37 HPV types detectable by the assay used. Among the HPV-positive participants, 69 of the 378 men (18.2%) and 54 of the 238 women (22.7%) harboured multiple genotypes. 75 couples (31.5%) were concordantly HPV positive, while 102 couples (42.9%) were concordantly negative (Kappa value: 0.491, p<0.0001). Among the couples in which both partners were HPV positive, 68% harboured at least one genotype in common. Results from a GEE model evidenced that when the male partner tested HPV positive for at least one genotype, this had a significant effect on the positivity of their relative female partner (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We evidenced a high prevalence of HPV male infections and a moderate concordance between partners. However, we observed a significant HPV type-specific correlation between partners, which is unlikely to be coincidental.
authors.affiliation: Surgical and Medical Department of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: laura.lorenzon@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lorenzon
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Unit, Scientific Direction, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Terrenato
authors.affiliation: STI Unit, "San Gallicano" Dermatological Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Donà
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ronchetti
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rollo
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marandino
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariantonia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carosi
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Diodoro
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Steno
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sentinelli
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Visca
authors.affiliation: Oncologic Gynecology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vocaturo
authors.affiliation: Screening Program, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bellardini
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vocaturo
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benevolo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: HPV concordance; HPV transmission; Human papillomavirus; Male infection; Sexually transmitted disease