A prospective study of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 DNA detection bypolymerase chain reaction and its association with acquisition and persistence of other HPV types

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 causes about half the cases of cervical cance r worldwide and is the focus of HPV vaccine development efforts. Systematic data are lacking as to whether the prevention of HPV-16 could affect the e quilibrium of infection with other HPV types and thus alter the predicted i mpact of vaccination on the occurrence of cervical neoplasia. Therefore, th e associations of HPV-16 detection with subsequent acquisition of other HPV types and with the persistence of concomitantly detected HPV types were ex amined prospectively among 1124 initially cytologically normal women. Preex isting HPV-16 was generally associated with an increased risk for subsequen t acquisition of other types. HPV-16 did not affect the persistence of conc omitant infections, regardless of type. These findings suggest that the pre vention or removal of HPV-16 is not likely to promote the risk of infection with other types, a theoretical concern with current vaccination efforts.