Influence of partner's infection status on prevalent human papillomavirus among persons with a new sex partner.

BACKGROUND

We evaluated the influence of the partner's human papillomavirus (HPV) status and sexual practices on prevalent HPV infection among new couples to study HPV transmission.

METHODS

Women attending university or college in Montreal, Canada, and their male partners (N = 263 couples) were enrolled in 2005-2008. HPV typing was done in self-collected vaginal swabs and clinician-collected penis and scrotum swabs. The outcome measures were overall and type-specific HPV prevalence.

RESULTS

HPV was detected in 56% of women and men. Prevalence was higher among persons with infected partners (85%) than in those whose partners were negative (19%). Type-specific detection was substantially higher among women (OR = 55.2, 95% CI: 38.0-80.1) and men (OR = 58.7, 95% CI: 39.8-86.3) if their partner harbored the type under consideration. Prevalence among women and men with 10 or more lifetime partners was 15.4 (95% CI: 5.9-40.2) and 9.5 (95% CI: 4.4-19.8) times higher than among those with 1 partner. Frequent condom use was protective in men, particularly if his partner was HPV-infected (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.50-0.82). This effect was attenuated among women with an infected partner (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.69-1.11).

CONCLUSIONS

The current partner's status was the most important risk factor for prevalent HPV infection. Condoms exerted a stronger protective effect among men than among women.