A second peak in genital warts in later life suggests that behavioural factors explain a second peak in human papillomavirus prevalence in older women

Eric P F Chow; Christopher K Fairley

doi:10.1071/SH15097

A second peak in genital warts in later life suggests that behavioural factors explain a second peak in human papillomavirus prevalence in older women

Sex Health. 2015 Aug;12(4):277-8. doi: 10.1071/SH15097.

Authors

Eric P F Chow¹, Christopher K Fairley¹

Affiliation

¹ Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, 580 Swanston Street, Carlton, Vic. 3053, Australia.

PMID: 26093632
DOI: 10.1071/SH15097

Abstract

An age-based pattern of human papillomavirus (HPV) was observed among unvaccinated women in Australia, with a second peak occurring when women were in their early 50s. A similar age-based pattern for genital warts was also observed among unvaccinated Australian women, with the first peak (8.4%) occurring at age 15-20 years, which then declined gradually to 4.8% when women were aged 41-45 years; this then increased to 5.4% when women were aged 46-50 years. This data suggests that behavioural factors may explain the changes in HPV occurrence.