loading page

Betapapillomavirus natural history and co-detection with alphapapillomavirus in cervical samples of adult women
  • +5
  • Talía Malagón,
  • Aline Lopes Ribeiro,
  • Emily Montosa Nunes,
  • Tarik Gheit,
  • Mariam El-Zein,
  • Luisa Villa,
  • Eduardo Franco,
  • Laura Sichero
Talía Malagón
McGill University Division of Cancer Epidemiology

Corresponding Author:talia.malagon@mcgill.ca

Author Profile
Aline Lopes Ribeiro
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto do Cancer do Estado de Sao Paulo
Author Profile
Emily Montosa Nunes
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto do Cancer do Estado de Sao Paulo
Author Profile
Tarik Gheit
International Agency for Research on Cancer
Author Profile
Mariam El-Zein
McGill University Division of Cancer Epidemiology
Author Profile
Luisa Villa
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto do Cancer do Estado de Sao Paulo
Author Profile
Eduardo Franco
McGill University Division of Cancer Epidemiology
Author Profile
Laura Sichero
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto do Cancer do Estado de Sao Paulo
Author Profile

Abstract

Background: Human papillomaviruses (HPV) of the genus Betapapillomavirus can infect both cutaneous and mucosal sites, but research on its natural history at mucosal sites remains scarce. We examined the risk factors and co-detection patterns of HPVs of the Betapapillomavirus and Alphapapillomavirus genera in cervical samples of the Ludwig-McGill cohort study. Methods: We assessed a subset of 505 women from the Ludwig-McGill cohort study from São Paulo, Brazil. Cervical samples over the first year of follow-up were tested for DNA of over 40 alphapapillomavirus types and 43 betapapillomavirus types using a type-specific multiplex genotyping PCR assay. We assessed the risk factors for prevalent and incident betapapillomavirus type detection, and whether types were detected more frequently together than expected assuming independence using permutation tests, logistic regression, and Cox regression. Results: We observed significant within-genus clustering but not cross-genus clustering. Multiple betapapillomavirus types were co-detected in the same sample 2.24 (95%CI: 1.65-3.29) times more frequently than expected. Conversely, co-detections of alphapapillomavirus and betapapillomavirus types in the same sample occurred only 0.64 (95%CI: 0.51-0.83) times as often as expected under independence. In prospective analyses, positivity to one HPV genus was associated with a non-significant lower incidence of detection of types in the other genus. Lifetime number of sex partners and new sex partner acquisition were associated with lower risks of prevalent and incident betapapillomavirus detection. Conclusion: Betapapillomaviruses are commonly found in the cervicovaginal tract. Results suggest potentially different mechanisms of transmission for betapapillomavirus genital infections other than vaginal sex.
31 Aug 2023Submitted to Journal of Medical Virology
31 Aug 2023Submission Checks Completed
31 Aug 2023Assigned to Editor
31 Aug 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
01 Sep 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
28 Sep 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Major
25 Oct 20231st Revision Received
26 Oct 2023Submission Checks Completed
26 Oct 2023Assigned to Editor
26 Oct 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
03 Nov 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
19 Nov 2023Editorial Decision: Accept