Genital infections with human papillomavirus (HPV) peak soon after young women become sexually active. Most HPV infections in young women become undetectable within a few months in standard PCR assays, suggesting that infections """"""""clear"""""""" in the majority of cases. However, proof of actual viral clearance is lacking. If HPV persists at low levels rather than clears, it could potentially reactivate and become detectable later in life, and thus contribute to clinical illness. Low level persistence could explain the second peak in HPV detection and the increase in HPV-related disease in older women. Because HPV is the causative agent of cervical cancer, it is critically important to understand whether HPV actually clears in young women, or if HPV remains present at levels undetectable using current methods. We will therefore characterize patterns of type specific HPV infection, apparent clearance, and virus reactivation (vs. re-infection) among adolescent women. To accomplish these goals, we will use type-specific, nested PCR assays of high sensitivity to potentially identify HPV persistence during periods of apparent clearance of infection as defined by standard PCR. We will also determine the duration of HPV persistence defined by nested PCR compared to standard PCR. We will also determine if apparently cleared infection of a specific HPV type that becomes detected later is due to reactivation or re-infection. We will also perform experiments to determine if low-level persistence is associated with HPV integration, a key event in carcinogenesis of HPV. Lastly, we will develop survival models to explore factors associated with HPV persistence to determine if longer periods of HPV detection will be associated with specific sexual behaviors.

Public Health Relevance

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the cause of cervical cancer. Our study is designed to determine if HPV infections can persist in some women, or if most infections actually clear in most women. This information is important in determining why some, but not all women with HPV infection develop cancer.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI072020-04
Application #
8091343
Study Section
Clinical Research and Field Studies of Infectious Diseases Study Section (CRFS)
Program Officer
David, Hagit S
Project Start
2008-07-15
Project End
2013-06-30
Budget Start
2011-07-01
Budget End
2012-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$350,097
Indirect Cost
Name
Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
603007902
City
Indianapolis
State
IN
Country
United States
Zip Code
46202
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Tong, Yan; Ermel, Aaron; Tu, Wanzhu et al. (2013) Association of HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18 DNA detection and serological response in unvaccinated adolescent women. J Med Virol 85:1786-93
Shew, Marcia L; Weaver, Bree; Tu, Wanzhu et al. (2013) High frequency of human papillomavirus detection in the vagina before first vaginal intercourse among females enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study. J Infect Dis 207:1012-5
Cummings, Teresa; Zimet, Gregory D; Brown, Darron et al. (2012) Reduction of HPV infections through vaccination among at-risk urban adolescents. Vaccine 30:5496-9
Weaver, Bree; Shew, Marcia; Qadadri, Brahim et al. (2011) Natural history of multiple human papillomavirus infections in female adolescents with prolonged follow-up. J Adolesc Health 48:473-80
Weaver, B; Shew, M; Qadadri, B et al. (2011) Low-level persistence of human papillomavirus 16 DNA in a cohort of closely followed adolescent women. J Med Virol 83:1362-9