ObjectivesOropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma is the most common human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancer in the UK, but little is known about the prevalence of oropharyngeal HPV in sexually active teenagers. We investigated reported HPV vaccination coverage (in females) and prevalence of oropharyngeal HPV in sexually active students attending six technical colleges in London, UK.MethodsIn 2017, we obtained mouthwash samples and questionnaires from male and female students taking part in the ‘Test n Treat’ chlamydia screening trial. Samples were subjected to HPV genotyping.ResultsOf 232 participants approached, 202 (87%) provided a mouthwash sample and questionnaire. Participants’ median age was 17 years and 47% were male. Most (73%) were from black and minority ethnic groups, 64% gave a history of oral sex, 52% reported having a new sexual partner in the past 6 months, 33% smoked cigarettes, 5.9% had concurrent genitourinary Chlamydia trachomatis infection and 1.5% Neisseria gonorrhoeae and 5.0% were gay or bisexual. Only 47% (50/107) of females reported being vaccinated against HPV 16/18, of whom 74% had received ≥2 injections. HPV genotyping showed three mouthwash samples (1.5%, 95% CI 0.3% to 4.3%) were positive for possible high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV), one (0.5%, 0.0% to 2.7%) for low-risk HPV 6/11, but none (0.0%, 0.0% to 1.8%) for HR-HPV. Four samples (2.0%, 0.5% to 5.0%) were positive for HPV16 using a HPV16 type-specific quantitative PCR, but these were at a very low copy number and considered essentially negative.ConclusionsDespite the high prevalence of oral sex and genitourinary chlamydia and low prevalence of HPV vaccination, the prevalence of oropharyngeal HR-HPV in these adolescents was negligible.

Context There are few UK data on the prevalence and clustering of risky behaviours in ethnically diverse adolescents. Objectives To investigate the prevalence of reported alcohol use, smoking and vaping, and explore whether these behaviours are associated with increased numbers of sexual partners. Design Questionnaire survey of ‘Test n Treat’ chlamydia screening trial participants. Setting and participants Sexually active students attending six London technical colleges completed confidential questionnaires and provided genitourinary samples. Results The median age of the 509 participants was 17 years (IQR: 16‐18), 47% were male, 50% were of black ethnicity, 55% reported ≥2 sexual partners in the past year (67% of males and 45% of females) and 6.2% had chlamydia infection and 0.6% gonorrhoea. Almost half (48%) reported getting drunk in the past month, 33% smoked cigarettes and 7% had ever vaped. A larger percentage of students with ≥2 sexual partners than 0‐1 partners reported getting drunk in the past month (53.7%, 144/268% versus 42.2% 94/223, adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.33, 95% confidence interval: 1.11‐1.61) and smoking cigarettes (36.6%, 100/273% versus 30.2%, 67/222, 1.34 (1.05‐1.70)). By contrast, multiple sexual partners were not associated with vaping or chlamydia infection, but numbers were small. Conclusions We found high prevalences of risky behaviour and an association between multiple sexual partners and smoking and/or getting drunk. Findings support the introduction of compulsory sex and relationship education in UK secondary schools, including information about the adverse effects of alcohol and smoking. Public contribution Participants helped with study design, conduct and interpretation.

In synthetic biology, biosensors are routinely coupled to a gene expression cascade for detecting small molecules and physical signals. We posit that an alternative direct protein (DiPro) biosensor mechanism, could provide a new opportunity for rapid detection of specific chemicals. Herein, we reveal a fluorescent curcumin DiPro biosensor, based on the Escherichia coli double bond reductase (EcCurA) as a detection system. We characterise the curcumin DiPro biosensor and propose enhanced fluorescence is generated through π-π stacking between protein and ligand. Using a cell-free synthetic biology approach, we use the DiPro biosensor to fine-tune 10 reaction parameters (cofactor, substrate, and enzyme levels), assisted through acoustic liquid handling robotics. Overall, we increase curcumin DiPro biosensor fluorescence by 80-fold. We propose a generic DiPro biosensor fluorescence mechanism that can be further exploited for a wider range of chemicals that share intrinsic fluorescence and have a suitable binding protein.