SEROLOGICALLY DIAGNOSED INFECTION WITH HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPE-16 AND RISK FOR SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT OF CERVICAL-CARCINOMA - NESTED CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Objective-To study human papillomavirus type 16 in the aetiology of ce rvical carcinoma. Design-Within a cohort of 18 814 Finnish women follo wed for up to 23 years a nested case-control study was conducted based on serological diagnosis of past infection with human papillomavirus type 16. Subjects-72 women (27 with invasive carcinoma and 45 with in situ carcinoma) and 143 matched controls were identified during the fo llow up. Main outcome measure- Relative risk of cervical carcinoma in presence of IgG antibodies to human papillomavirus type 16. Results-Af ter adjustment for smoking and for antibodies to various other agents of sexually transmitted disease, such as herpes simplex virus type 2 a nd Chlamydia trachomatis, the only significant association was with in fection with human papillomavirus type 16 (odds ratio 12.5; 95% confid ence interval 2.7 to 57, 2P < 0.001). Conclusion-This prospective stud y provides epidemiological evidence that infection with human papillom avirus type 16 confers an excess risk for subsequent development of ce rvical carcinoma.