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Anogenital human papillomavirus in non-abused preschool children

A K Myhre1, A Dalen, K Berntzen

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. arne.k.myhre@medisin.ntnu.no

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|February 20, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Human papillomavirus (HPV) was detected in 1.2% of anal and 3.0% of genital samples from non-abused girls aged 5-6. HPV was not found in boys, suggesting HPV is unreliable for detecting sexual abuse in young children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Virology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are common globally.
  • Anogenital HPV detection in children has been historically linked to concerns of sexual abuse.
  • Limited data exists on HPV prevalence in non-abused children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of anogenital human papillomavirus (HPV) in a cohort of young children selected for non-abuse.
  • To assess the utility of HPV detection as an indicator of sexual abuse in this age group.

Main Methods:

  • A self-selected cohort of 5-6-year-old children (girls and boys) provided informed consent for anogenital examination and sampling.
  • Samples were analyzed for HPV using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing.
  • Mechanisms were in place to exclude children with suspected sexual abuse.

Main Results:

  • HPV was detected in 1.2% of anal and 3.0% of genital specimens from 211 enrolled children (primarily girls).
  • No HPV was detected in any of the boys.
  • Anogenital warts were observed in 1.8% of the girls.

Conclusions:

  • The prevalence of HPV in this non-abused pediatric cohort is low.
  • HPV detection in anogenital samples is not a reliable indicator of sexual abuse in 5-6-year-old children.
  • Observed rates of anogenital warts were comparable to those reported in abused children.
Abstract

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