Seroprevalences of Antibodies to 11 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Types Mark Cumulative HPV Exposure

Abstract

Background: The antibody responses against human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) and HPV-18 are well known, but many genital HPV types are oncogenic. We assessed the correlation between detection of type-specific HPV DNA and antibodies for 11 HPV types.

Methods: A total of 2024 women attending the organized national cervical cancer screening program in Slovenia were tested for cervical high-risk HPV DNA (HPV-16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -39, -45, -52, -56, -58, -59, and -68) and serum anti-HPV antibodies. Of these, 1848 women were tested with the same methods 3 years earlier.

Results: Type-specific antibodies against 10 of 11 HPV types (HPV-16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -39, -45, -52, -56, and -58) were associated with concomitant presence of type-specific DNA (median odds ratio [OR], 7.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-26.1). When the concomitant presence of type-specific HPV DNA at the 3-year visit was combined with the presence of the same HPV DNA type 3 years earlier, the statistical precision was greatly improved, and antibodies against all 11 types (HPV-16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -39, -45, -52, -56, -58, and -59) were associated with the presence of DNA of the same HPV type (median OR, 7.4; 95% CI, 4.2-12.8). Sensitivity had a slight tendency to increase (from 47% to 52%) when DNA positivity at the earlier time point was included, whereas specificity was the same (88%). Seroconversion was associated with previous HPV DNA positivity. Seropositivity mostly remained stable during the observation period.

Conclusions: For 11 HPV types, type-specific seropositivity was associated with the presence of DNA of the same HPV type (either concomitantly or previously). Antibodies to these HPV types mark cumulative HPV exposure.