Comparison of Human Papillomavirus Types 16, 18, and 6 Capsid Antibody Responses Following Incident Infection

TLDR

The study examined the association between genital HPV DNA and serum IgG responses to HPV‑16, ‑18, and ‑6 in 588 college women. Among women with incident infections, seroconversion rates were 59.5% for HPV‑16, 54.1% for HPV‑18, and 68.8% for HPV‑6 within 18 months, with transient DNA linked to lower seroconversion, heterogeneous antibody responses, earlier seroconversion for HPV‑16 (6–12 months), concurrent seroconversion for HPV‑6, and more durable antibodies for HPV‑16 and ‑18 than for HPV‑6.

Abstract

The relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in the genital mucosa and serum IgG to HPV-16, -18, and -6 was studied in a cohort of 588 college women. Among women with incident HPV infections, 59.5%, 54.1%, and 68.8% seroconverted for HPV-16, -18, or -6, respectively, within 18 months of detecting the corresponding HPV DNA. Transient HPV DNA was associated with a failure to seroconvert following incident HPV infection; however, some women with persistent HPV DNA never seroconverted. Antibody responses to each type were heterogeneous, but several type-specific differences were found: seroconversion for HPV-16 occurred most frequently between 6 and 12 months of DNA detection, but seroconversion for HPV-6 coincided with DNA detection. Additionally, antibody responses to HPV-16 and -18 were significantly more likely to persist during follow-up than were antibodies to HPV-6.