Risk factors for oral human papillomavirus in heterosexual couples in an African setting

Objective: Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and factors associated with oral HPV infection were investigated. Methods: Cervical, penile and oral HPV types were determined in 221 heterosexual couples by Roche Linear Array HPV genotyping assay. Results: Oral HPV prevalence was found to be 6.8% in women and 13.5% in men (P = 0.23). The risk of oral infection with a specific HPV type in women was increased when the same type was detected in their genital tract (odd ratio (OR): 3.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.62-8.25, P = 0.002), the genital tract of their male partner (OR: 6.08, 95% CI: 2.90-12.73, P < 0.001) or the mouth of their male partner (OR: 8.30, 95% CI: 1.58-43.50, P = 0.012). In men, the risk of oral infection with a specific HPV type was increased when the same type was detected in the genital tract of their female partner (OR: 7.28, 95% CI: 1.45-36.58, P=0.016) or the mouth of their female partner (OR: 5.43, 95% CI: 0.79-37.06, P = 0.084) but not when the same type was present in their own genital tract. Conclusions: These findings suggest that in African settings oral HPV infection is acquired from sexual partners, and that in women may also be the result of self-inoculation. (C) 2013 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.