Screening for high- and low-risk human papillomavirus types in single routine cervical smears by non-isotopic in situ hybridization.
Routine cervical smears (n = 262) from a Sexually Transmitted Diseases clinic were screened by non-isotopic in situ hybridization (NISH) stratifying human papillomavirus (HPV) infections into HPV6/11 (low risk) and HPV16/18/33 (high risk) categories. Of 188 patients with cytologically normal smears, HPV sequences were demonstrated in 41%. Of the 128 cases analysed by dual NISH, 16% contained low risk, 20% high risk and 5% both groups. In patients with cytological evidence of wart virus infection (WVI) only, 54% (n = 50) contained high-risk and 22% low-risk HPV types. The comparable incidences in CIN1/2 plus WVI (n = 24) were not significantly different: 54% and 17%, respectively. Cytological criteria underestimate the prevalence of HPV infection in patients with cytologically normal smears. This represents either 'occult' or 'latent' infection. The identical prevalence of HPVB16/18/33 in WVI only, and CIN1/2 plus WVI, suggests that the cytopathic effect induced by these HPVs may represent one end of a spectrum of morphological change which progresses to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).
Herrington
C S
CS
University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Pathology and Bacteriology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, UK.
Troncone
G
G
Evans
M F
MF
McGee
J O
JO
D015344:DNA Probes, HPV; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D014860:Warts / Q000382:microbiology*
D015344:DNA Probes, HPV