Human papillomavirus genotypes in male genitalia and their concordance among pregnant spouses participating in the Finnish Family HPV study

Abstract

Introduction: Genotype-specific concordance among human papillomavirus (HPV)-infected spouses is incompletely assessed. HPV concordance is of importance in counselling HPV-infected subjects and their partners.

Aim: To determine HPV-genotype distribution and prevalence in semen and urethral samples of young fathers and their concordance with HPV-genotypes in cervical and oral mucosal samples of their spouses.

Methods: In the Finnish Family HPV study, urethral and semen samples were collected from 131 fathers-to-be for HPV genotyping with Multimetrix assay. HPV-genotyping data were correlated with the data of the cervical and oral mucosal samples of the spouses collected at third trimester pregnancy at baseline.

Main outcome measure: Concordance of HPV-genotypes between the spouses.

Results: Urethral and/or semen samples tested HPV positive in 47/131 (35.9%) of the fathers-to-be, more frequently in semen (28/90; 31%) than in urethral (29/128; 23%) samples. In women, 18.8% of their cervical and 17.2% of the oral samples tested HPV-positive. Of the HPV-positive samples, HPV16 was the most frequent genotype, present in 39.3% of semen, 77.3% of mothers' oral, and 29.2% of cervical samples. Multiple-type infections were found in 24.1% of HPV-positive urethral and 21.6% of semen samples. In mothers, half of their cervical and 4.5% of oral HPV were multiple-type infections. The HPV-genotype-specific concordance among spouses ranged from 0% to 9.5%, according to the sampling sites. Altogether, eight couples disclosing such a concordance were analyzed separately for a risk-profile. Mothers of the HPV-concordant couples reported significantly higher number (>6) of life-time sexual partners than did the discordant mothers (P=0.030).

Conclusions: Asymptomatic HPV infections were common in both parents, while the genotype-specific concordance among spouses was low. In both partners, HPV16 is the dominant genotype. HPV6 was a prevalent HPV genotype in male genitalia. Female risk profile might enhance the transmission of HPV infection to her male partner and increase the genotype-specific HPV concordance between the spouses.