Genital Human Papillomavirus Prevalence and Human Papillomavirus Concordance in Heterosexual Couples Are Positively Associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Coinfection

Abstract

This study examined the concordance of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in 254 heterosexually active couples and the impact of HIV coinfection. Genital HPV detection was significantly more common among HIV-infected women than among HIV-seronegative women (99 [68%] of 145 women vs. 33 [31%] of 107 women; P < .001); similarly, HPV detection was significantly more common among HIV-infected men than among HIV-seronegative men (67 [72%] of 93 and 65 [43%] of 150 men, respectively; P < .001). HIV-seronegative male partners of HIV-infected women had a significantly greater prevalence of HPV infection than did HIV-seronegative male partners of HIV-seronegative women (38 [58%] of 65 men vs. 27 [32%] of 85 men; P = .001), indicating that HIV coinfection in one partner has a significant impact on the prevalence of HPV genital infection in the other partner. HPV concordance between couples was associated with HIV infection status (P < .001, by Pearson's chi2 test) and was significantly higher among HIV-infected couples than among HIV-seronegative couples. Type-specific sharing of HPV was associated with HIV concordance status (P = .024). HIV-seronegative couples were more likely to share 1 HPV type and were unlikely to share >1 type, whereas HIV-infected or HIV-discordant couples were more likely to share >1 HPV type. Women with a high HPV load frequently shared HPV types with their male partners, suggesting that a high HPV load may play a role in HPV transmission between partners. In conclusion, HIV coinfection in one or both sexually active partners increased HPV prevalence and HPV type-specific concordance.