title: Genotype-specific concordance of oral and genital human papillomavirus infections among marital couples is low.
abstract: Data on genotype-specific concordance of oral-oral and genital-oral HPV infections among marital couples are key to understand HPV transmission between spouses. Genotype-specific concordance of HPV infections (oral/genital) and their co-variates among 131 marital couples were determined during 6-year follow-up (FU). Seven oral scrapings were taken from both spouses, accompanied by six genital samplings from the women and one (at baseline) from the male partners. HPV-genotyping was performed by nested PCR and a Luminex®-based Multimetrix Assay. Demographic data were collected with questionnaires at baseline and study conclusion. Prevalence of oral HPV varied from 10.3 to 27.0 % and 15.8 to 31.3 % in women and men, respectively. At baseline, 37.6 % of the male genital samples were HPV-positive while in female genital samples, HPV prevalence varied from 13.3 to 59.4 %. Only 15 couples had HPV genotype-specific concordance (oral-oral n = 7; male oral-female genital n = 9; female oral-male genital n = 2). In the nested case-control setting, higher number of deliveries (OR 0.145, 95%CI 0.030-0.706, p = 0.017) and higher number of intercourse (OR 0.488, 95%CI 0.243-0.978, p = 0.043) decreased the likelihood of concordant HPV infections while practicing oral sex increased the risk (OR 0.299, 95%CI 0.120-0.748, p = 0.010). In multivariate analysis, the likelihood of concordance was decreased by higher number of pregnancies of the female partner (p = 0.020) and by higher frequency of intercourse reported by the male spouse (p = 0.027). To conclude, asymptomatic HPV infections were common in both spouses while genotype-specific concordance was low. This supports the view that HPV profile of the spouses has been established before the current marital relationship.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, P.O. Box 52, 20521, Turku, Finland. katja.kero@utu.fi.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kero
authors.affiliation: MediCity Research Laboratory and Department of Oral Pathology, Institute of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rautava
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, P.O. Box 52, 20521, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Louvanto
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research, Biohit Oyj, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Syrjänen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, P.O. Box 52, 20521, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grenman
authors.affiliation: MediCity Research Laboratory and Department of Oral Pathology, Institute of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Syrjänen
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005835:Genitalia / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009055:Mouth / Q000821:virology*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires