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OBJECTIVE: Higher rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) in adolescents and younger women have been attributed to their greater extent of “cervical ectopy,” defined as columnar and metaplastic epithelia on the ectocervix. Our objective was to estimate associations between ectopy and incident HPV in healthy adolescents and young women. METHODS: Enrolled between October 2000 and October 2002, this prospective cohort included women aged 13–21 years who were sexually active, without previous cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, cervical procedures, or immunosuppression, with menarche within 6 years before enrollment, and negative for HPV DNA at baseline. Every 4 months, extent of ectopy was quantitatively measured using colpophotography and computerized planimetry. Cox proportional hazards models examined associations between ectopy and incident HPV, defined as the first positive HPV result during follow-up. RESULTS: The 138 women attended 509 total visits. At baseline, mean age was 16.7 years and mean extent of ectopy was 25% of the total cervical face. Incident HPV of any type was detected in 42 (30%) women and was not significantly associated with baseline ectopy (hazard ratio 1.09, 95% confidence interval 0.96–1.25; P=.20; ectopy in units of 10%), or with ectopy measured 4 months before HPV detection (hazard ratio 1.09, confidence interval 0.94–1.26; P=.25). Our sample size had 80% power to detect a hazard ratio of 1.9 (with two-tailed α=0.05). Results were similarly insignificant for HPV subgroupings of incident high-risk, low-risk, α9, and α3/α15 types, and when adjusted for new sexual partners. CONCLUSION: Extent of cervical ectopy was not associated with HPV acquisition in healthy adolescents and young women. Biological vulnerabilities may lie in immune function or other characteristics of the cervical epithelium. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II

To describe the natural history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 in a prospective study of adolescents and young women, and to examine the behavioral and biologic factors associated with regression and progression.Adolescents and women aged 13 to 24 years who were referred for abnormal cytology and were found to have CIN 2 on histology were evaluated at 4-month intervals. Risks for regression were defined as three consecutive negative cytology and histology visits, and progression to CIN 3 was estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models.Ninety-five patients with a mean age of 20.4 years (±2.3) were entered into the analysis. Thirty-eight percent resolved by year 1, 63% resolved by year 2, and 68% resolved by year 3. Multivariable analysis found that recent Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection (hazard ratio 25.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.11-205.42) and medroxyprogesterone acetate use (per month) (hazard ratio 1.02; 95% CI 1.003-1.04) were associated with regression. Factors associated with nonregression included combined hormonal contraception use (per month) (hazard ratio 0.85; 95% CI 0.75-0.97) and persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) of any type (hazard ratio 0.40; 95% CI 0.22-0.72). Fifteen percent of patients showed progression by year 3. HPV 16/18 persistence (hazard ratio 25.27; 95% CI 2.65-241.2; P=.005) and HPV 16/18 status at last visit (hazard ratio 7.25; 95% CI 1.07-49.36; P.05) were associated with progression Because of the small sample size, other covariates were not examined.The high regression rate of CIN 2 supports clinical observation of this lesion in adolescents and young women.

OBJECTIVE To determine the variability in human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing of the cervix in young women found positive for HPV DNA by dot blot hybridization on routine examination. METHODS Young women who were found to be HPV DNA-positive on routine screening using an RNA-DNA dot blot hybridization method were asked to return for repeat HPV DNA sampling, cytology, colposcopic examination, and biopsy if indicated. Those who had no histologic evidence of cervical dysplasia were asked to return every 4 months for cytology and HPV DNA testing using standardized RNA-DNA hybridization and polymerase chain reaction techniques. RESULTS The women were followed for a mean of 27.6 months (range 13-40) with a mean of six visits (range four to ten). One-third of the women remained consistently or intermittently HPV DNA-positive by RNA-DNA dot blot hybridization, and almost 50% of the women remained consistently or intermittently positive using polymerase chain reaction techniques. Women were more likely to be positive by polymerase chain reaction than by RNA-DNA hybridization at both 1 year and after 2 years of follow-up (P < .05). However, rates for persistent positive tests by either method were similar at 1 and 2 years of follow-up. Forty percent of the subjects had new or different types than the original HPV type appear during follow-up. All five women who had evidence of spontaneous regression of cytologic abnormalities became HPV DNA-negative by both methods. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that a portion of women infected with HPV appear to eliminate the infection over a relatively short period and are at low or no risk of developing disease. Persistent DNA negativity was also found in those women undergoing spontaneous regression. However, a substantial proportion of women remained intermittently positive by RNA-DNA hybridization and polymerase chain reaction. This finding suggests that the virus remains latent in some individuals and may undergo reactivation, defined by sufficient replication to allow detection by means less sensitive than polymerase chain reaction.