Detection of cervical antibodies to human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-P6) capsid antigens in relation to detection of HPV-16 DNA and cervical lesions

A more sensitive luminescence immunoassay (LIA) for human papillomavirus ty pe 16 (HPV-16) was developed and used to measure HPV-16 antibodies in cervi cal samples from 292 college-aged women who were examined at 4-month interv als. Of the 609 collected samples, IgG, IgA, and secretory piece-associated antibodies to HPV-16 were detected in 12%, 6%, and 8%, respectively, of sa mples tested. Cervical IgG antibodies were most strongly associated with HP V-16 DNA detected within the previous 12 months (odds ratio, 3.3; 95% confi dence interval, 1.4-7.8). Secretory IgA (cervical IgA- and secretory piece- positive) was most strongly associated with detection of a squamous intraep ithelial lesions 4-8 months earlier (odds ratio, 6.4; 95% confidence interv al, 1.9-21.8). As with serum HPV-16 antibodies, there appears to be a sever al-month delay between cervical HPV infection and detection of cervical ant ibodies.