Determinants of prevalent human papillomavirus in recently formed heterosexual partnerships: a dyadic-level analysis

We studied features that predict the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in a new sexual partnership.

We analyzed data from the "HPV Infection and Transmission Among Couples Through Heterosexual Activity" (HITCH) Cohort Study of recently formed partnerships ("dyads"). Women aged 18-24 and their male partners were recruited during 2005-2010 in Montreal, Canada. We tested genital swabs for detection of 36 HPV types. We defined HPV in a partnership as the presence of 1 or more HPV types in either or both partners. Using baseline data from 482 dyads, we calculated prevalence ratios to evaluate candidate risk factors.

Most women (88%) were unvaccinated. Sixty-seven percent of dyads harbored HPV. For 49% of dyads, both partners were HPV+. HPV was least prevalent in dyads who were in their first vaginal sex relationship (17%) and was virtually ubiquitous in dyads for which both partners had concurrent partners (96%). Dyads that always used condoms with previous partner(s) were 27% (95% confidence interval, 9%-42%) less likely to have HPV.

The finding that condom use limited onward spread to future partners is in support of condom promotion to prevent sexually transmitted infections. Ongoing monitoring of HPV in sexual networks is needed, particularly in populations with suboptimal vaccine coverage.