Human papillomavirus genotypes in male genitalia and their concordance among pregnant spouses participating in the Finnish Family HPV study

IntroductionGenotype‐specific concordance among human papillomavirus (HPV)‐infected spouses is incompletely assessed. HPV concordance is of importance in counselling HPV‐infected subjects and their partners.AimTo determine HPV‐genotype distribution and prevalence in semen and urethral samples of young fathers and their concordance with HPV‐genotypes in cervical and oral mucosal samples of their spouses.MethodsIn the Finnish Family HPV study, urethral and semen samples were collected from 131 fathers‐to‐be for HPV genotyping with Multimetrix assay. HPV‐genotyping data were correlated with the data of the cervical and oral mucosal samples of the spouses collected at third trimester pregnancy at baseline.Main Outcome MeasureConcordance of HPV‐genotypes between the spouses.ResultsUrethral and/or semen samples tested HPV positive in 47/131 (35.9%) of the fathers‐to‐be, more frequently in semen (28/90; 31%) than in urethral (29/128; 23%) samples. In women, 18.8% of their cervical and 17.2% of the oral samples tested HPV‐positive. Of the HPV‐positive samples, HPV16 was the most frequent genotype, present in 39.3% of semen, 77.3% of mothers' oral, and 29.2% of cervical samples. Multiple‐type infections were found in 24.1% of HPV‐positive urethral and 21.6% of semen samples. In mothers, half of their cervical and 4.5% of oral HPV were multiple‐type infections. The HPV‐genotype‐specific concordance among spouses ranged from 0% to 9.5%, according to the sampling sites. Altogether, eight couples disclosing such a concordance were analyzed separately for a risk‐profile. Mothers of the HPV‐concordant couples reported significantly higher number (>6) of life‐time sexual partners than did the discordant mothers (P = 0.030).ConclusionsAsymptomatic HPV infections were common in both parents, while the genotype‐specific concordance among spouses was low. In both partners, HPV16 is the dominant genotype. HPV6 was a prevalent HPV genotype in male genitalia. Female risk profile might enhance the transmission of HPV infection to her male partner and increase the genotype‐specific HPV concordance between the spouses. Kero K, Rautava J, Syrjänen K, Grenman S, and Syrjänen S. Human papillomavirus genotypes in male genitalia and their concordance among pregnant spouses participating in the Finnish family HPV study. J Sex Med 2011;8:2522–2531.