Lack of type-specific concordance between human papillomavirus (HPV) serology and HPV DNA detection in the uterine cervix and oral mucosa

There is limited knowledge about longitudinal genotype-specific concordance between human papillomavirus (HPV) serology and co-existent presence of HPV DNA in the uterine cervix. The role of oral HPV infections in inducing serological response is unclear, as is the effect of HPV antibodies on the outcome of oral HPV infections. The present study is part of the Finnish Family HPV Study designed to evaluate dynamics of HPV infections within families. Here, we correlated the point prevalence of HPV6, 11, 16, 18 and 45 antibodies and concomitant genotype-specific HPV DNA detection in cervical and oral samples of 323 mothers during their 3 year (mean 37.5 months) follow-up. The mean age of these pregnant mothers at enrolment (third trimester) was 25.5 years. HPV antibodies were analysed with multiplex HPV serology and HPV genotyping was performed using a Multimetrix kit (Progen Biotechnik). There was no concordance between cervical DNA detection and co-existent seropositivity, and the same was true even in samples taken 12 months apart. Women who cleared their cervical HPV16 infection had the highest HPV16 antibody levels, whereas those who acquired incident HPV16 infections had the lowest antibody levels. Neither the presence nor the dynamics of oral HPV DNA had any correlation with HPV serology.