title: Cross-sectional seroprevalence of antibodies against 6, 11, 16 and 18 human papilloma virus (HPV) types among teenagers and young women in Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about human papilloma virus (HPV) seroprevalence in the healthy Italian population. The aim of the study was to assess seroprevalence of antibodies against HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18 among girls and young women in Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera were tested with a commercially available ELISA assay detecting specific IgG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seroprevalence was 54.1% in girls between 11 to 18 years old and 8.2% in over 18s. Overall seropositivity in birth cohorts invited for free immunization reached 72.8% and was significantly higher than in other age subgroups. The highest levels of antibodies were detected in girls of 12 years old that should have just completed the vaccination schedule.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A standardized seroepidemiological survey on HPV represents a useful tool for identifying groups at risk in which immunization is recommended, monitoring of vaccinated women, assessing whether booster vaccination is required.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Medicina di Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. Email: silvia.lupi@unife.it.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Lupi
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Bergamini
authors: Enrica
authors: E
authors: Guidi
authors: Pasquale
authors: P
authors: Gregorio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D052140:Human papillomavirus 11; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16; D052161:Human papillomavirus 18; D052163:Human papillomavirus 6; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines