Human papillomavirus seroprevalence among young male and female drug users

Abstract

Objectives: To determine seroprevalence and correlates of exposure to HPV 16, 18, and 53 among 15- to 30-year-old drug users in Baltimore, MD.

Study design: Young, newly initiated injection and noninjection drug users underwent a behavioral risk assessment and HPV serology testing. Sex-specific analyses were performed comparing seropositive and seronegative participants using chi2, Mann-Whitney tests, and logistic regression.

Results: Participants (n = 553) were 43.0% female, 40.2% African American, and median age was 24 years. HPV seroprevalence among females and males, respectively, was: HPV-16, 38.2% and 7.0%; HPV-18, 42.4% and 7.3%; and HPV-53, 27.7% and 5.1%. Correlates of HPV seropositivity among females included being African American and anal sex, and among males, having had sex with another male.

Conclusions: HPV seroprevalence was high among young drug users and significantly higher among females than males, supporting previous findings. Further research is required to fully understand HPV risk factors among men and the contribution of anal transmission in women.