The quadrivalent vaccine prevents infection with HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 and has been shown to induce strong and sustained neutralising antibody responses that confer protection against infection and associated disease. Such data stem from population-based surveillance of women who have largely been part of catch-up cohorts from a school-based programme. We aimed to collect baseline data on rectal HPV prevalence from a cohort of men who attended sexual health services, prior to implementation of a selective immunisation programme for men-who-have-sex-with men (MSM) up to age 45.
Approximately 1200 rectal swabs were obtained from males attending for sexual health services in Edinburgh, Scotland. Swabs had originally been collected for (routinely indicated) Chlamydia trachomatis testing. Residual material was subject to molecular HPV genotyping using automated extraction and a luminex-based assay which detects 24 HPV types including all established high-risk types and all those included in the quadrivalent vaccine. At time of abstract preparation, results are available for 1064 samples.
HPV prevalence in this population was high; 782/1064 (73%) were HPV positive and 531/1064 (50%) were positive for at least 1 of the types within the quadrivalent vaccine. When vaccine types were counted individually (including as part of a mixed infection) HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 accounted for 156, 74, 362, and 80 infections respectively. Of those positive for at least 1 of the 4 vaccine types, none were positive for all 4 types.
These preliminary data indicate that the quadrivalent vaccine has the potential to have a significant impact on the prevalence of HPV in this population given that 50% are infected with one of the types included in the quadrivalent vaccine. Comprehensive data which stratify HPV status by age and HIV status will also be presented.
1. Palefsky JM, Giuliano AR, Goldstone S, Moreira ED Jr, Aranda C, Jessen H, Hillman R, Ferris D, Coutlee F, Stoler MH, Marshall JB, Radley D, Vuocolo S, Haupt RM, Guris D, Garner EI.
HPV vaccine against anal HPV infection and anal intraepithelial neoplasia. N Engl J Med. 2011 Oct 27;365(17):1576-85. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1010971.