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Although the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (Gardasil or Cervarix) now is recommended for preteens of both sexes, we still understand relatively little about HPV's natural history and transmission patterns. Montreal researchers sought to quantitate the chances that a young adult in an early sexual relationship would acquire HPV (a question likely to be of considerable interest to parents of preteens).
Among 308 college-age women and their male sexual partners — all in relationships of less than 6 months' duration — researchers identified 179 couples discordant for one or more HPV types. About 6 months later, genital sampling indicated HPV transmission in 73 couples (41%). The transmission rate was 3.7 instances per 100 person-months, for…