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Human Papillomavirus Viral Load and Transmission in Young, Recently Formed Heterosexual Couples
Michel D Wissing1, Karolina Louvanto1,2, Emilie Comète3
1Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Division of Cancer Epidemiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Background:
We studied the association between human papillomavirus (HPV) viral load (VL) and HPV concordance.
Methods:
The HITCH cohort study included young, heterosexual, recently formed, sexually active couples. Questionnaires and genital samples were collected at 0 and 4 months. Samples were tested for HPV DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR; Linear Array). VLs of HPV6/11/16/18/31/42/51 were quantified using type-specific real-time PCR. Correlations between VL and type-specific HPV prevalence and incidence were evaluated using multilevel, mixed-effects linear/logistic regression models.
Results:
We included 492 couples. VLs were higher in penile than vaginal samples. VL at subsequent visits correlated significantly within men (r, 0.373), within women (r, 0.193), and within couples (r range: 0.303-0.328). Men with high VL had more type-specific persistent HPV infections (odds ratio [OR], 4.6 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.0-10.5]). High VL in men was associated with prevalent (OR, 5.3 [95% CI, 2.5-11.2]) and incident (OR, 6.7 [95% CI, 1.5-30.7]) type-specific HPV infections in their partner. Women's VL was associated with type-specific HPV prevalence in their partner at the same (OR, 5.9) and subsequent (OR, 4.7) visit.
Conclusions:
Persistent HPV infections have limited VL fluctuations. VL between sex partners are correlated and seem predictive of transmission episodes.
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