Transmission of cervical human papillomavirus infection by sexual activity: differences between low and high oncogenic risk types.

Not all studies have proven that cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a sexually acquired condition. Determinants of HPV infection were analyzed in a survey of 718 asymptomatic women in northeastern Brazil. HPV DNA was detected and typed by polymerase chain reaction. HPV types were classified into low- and high-risk groups on the basis of their association with cervical carcinomas. Overall HPV prevalence (18.3%) was moderately associated with age at first intercourse (P = .111, trend) and number of lifetime sex partners (P = .005, trend). However, separate analyses by risk revealed different degrees of association with sexual activity. Except for a positive association with multiple partners among women < 40 years old (P = .034, trend), infection with low-risk types (9.7%) was not correlated with sexual behavior. On the other hand, infection with high-risk HPV types (11.6%) was strongly and independently associated with both multiple partners (P = .009, trend) and age at first intercourse (P = .007, trend) in all age groups.